On one side of the membrane, carrier proteins bind to molecules or ions and release them on the opposite side.
In order to allow target molecules or ions to diffusely pass through the membrane without interfering with one another, channel proteins make holes/pores that permeate the membrane.
The specific solute to be transported is bound by carrier proteins (also known as carriers, permeases, or transporters), which then go through a series of conformational changes to move the bound solute across the membrane.
In contrast, channel proteins have significantly weaker interactions with the solute being conveyed.
While some channel proteins are always open, others are "gated," which means that they respond to a specific stimulus to either open or close the channel (like an electrical signal or the binding of a molecule).
Transport proteins known as channel proteins contain a hydrophilic channel via which specific molecules or ions can pass across the membrane (Ex: aquaporins for water). Transport proteins known as carrier proteins bind to molecules and modify their structure to move them across the membrane.
