What type of transport involves moving materials out of the cell?

Exocytosis is a specific type of transport mechanism that involves the movement of materials out of a cell. This process allows cells to expel substances such as waste products or signaling molecules by packaging them into vesicles that fuse with the cell membrane. Once the vesicle merges with the cell membrane, its contents are released into the extracellular space. Exocytosis plays a critical role in various physiological processes, including hormone secretion and neurotransmission.

Understanding exocytosis as the means by which cells export materials highlights the importance of maintaining homeostasis and communicating with other cells. By contrast, endocytosis refers to the uptake of materials into the cell, facilitated diffusion pertains to the movement of substances across cell membranes through protein channels, and osmosis specifically relates to the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane. Each of these processes serves different functions in cellular transport but does not involve the direct expulsion of materials from the cell like exocytosis does.