The Semipermeability of the Cell Membrane1

Justin O. Beltran
Group 1 Sec. I-2L

September 1, 2009

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A scientific paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements in General Biology I laboratory under Ma’am Marie
Angelique Vernaiz, 1st sem., 2009-2010.
ABSTRACT

The semipermeability of the cell membrane

was proven by exposing the red blood cells and
Hydrilla leaf cell into different mediums with different
solute concentrations and by using models of the cell
membrane. When exposed into a hypotonic medium,
the cell will swell. When exposed into an isotonic
medium, there will be no net movement of water in
the cell. When exposed into a hypertonic medium, the
cell will shrink. Thus, the cell membrane allows some
substance to pass through the cell and hence, it is
semipermeable.

INTRODUCTION

The cell membrane is a semipermeable lipid bilayer found in all

cells. A semipermeable membrane is a membrane that allows the liquid to

pass through it but not dissolved substances. It plays an important part in

osmosis.

Osmosis is the passage of a solvent through a semipermeable

membrane from a solution of lesser concentration to one of higher

concentration (King, Caldwell and Williams, 1977). There are three types

of medium relative to a cell, namely, hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic. If

the medium is hypotonic — a dilute solution, with a higher water

concentration than the cell — the cell will gain water through osmosis. If

the medium is isotonic — a solution with exactly the same water

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concentration as the cell — there will be no net movement of water across

the cell membrane. If the medium is hypertonic — a concentrated solution,

with a lower water concentration than the cell — the cell will lose water by

osmosis.

This study aimed to show the semipermeability of the cell

membrane. The objective/s were/was:

1. to describe the semipermeability of the cell membrane.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In showing the semipermeability of the cell membrane, two

experiments were done.

The first experiment was determining the responses of red blood

cells and Hydrilla leaf to different osmotic concentrations. Three small vials

were obtained. The first vial was labeled with 0.07M, the second with

0.15M, and the third with 0.30M. 3mL of the corresponding solutions of

NaCl were added to each vial. A volunteer is chosen and the end of his

finger was washed with a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. After the alcohol

had dried, the volunteer’s finger was then pricked with a sterile lancet. 1 to

2 drops of blood was placed on each vial. Then, the vial was shook gently.

A drop from each of the three vials was obtained and a wet mount

was prepared. The slides were labeled to avoid confusion.

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 Each slide was examined under the high power objective (HPO) of

the microscope, shown in figures 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 respectively.

The smallest leaf from the growing tip of Hydrilla was obtained. It

was placed on a clean glass slide. 1 to 2 drops of 0.01M NaCl solution

was added and a cover slip was placed. The whole mount of the leaf was

examined under low power objective (LPO). Apportion with only a single

layer of cells was located and was examined under the HPO, shown in

figure 1.4a.

0.30M NaCl was added at one edge of the cover slip. The 0.01M

NaCl solution was withdrawn off from the other side with a filter paper

placed against the edge of the cover slip. One particular cell was focused

under HPO and the changes were observed, shown in figure 1.4b

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Fig. 1.1. RBC w/ 0.07M NaCl sol. Fig. 1.2. RBC w/ 0.15M NaCl sol. Fig. 1.3. RBC w/
0.30M NaCl sol.
(Mag. 400x) (Mag. 400x)
(Mag.400x)

Fig. 1.4a. Hydrilla leaf cell Fig 1.4b. Hydrilla

leaf cell
w/ 0.01M NaCl sol. w/ 0.30M NaCl sol.

The second experiment was the use of model to study the

semipermeiability of the cell membrane. Five set-ups were prepared.

For the first set-up, the dialyzing membrane was filled with NaCl

solution. the sack was then tied on both sides. The dialyzing bag was

weighed after dried blot in a weighing scale.

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 The bag was immersed completely in distilled water. It was

weighed every 5 minutes for 50 minutes. The bag was blot dry every

weighing.

The second set-up was prepared with a dialyzing bag containing

distilled water. The bag was placed in a beaker containing saturated NaCl

solution. The weight was measured the same way as the first set-up.

The third set-up was prepared with a dialyzing bag containing

distilled water and was placed in a beaker containing distilled water. The

bag was weighed the same way as

For the fourth set-up, a dialyzing bag was prepared with distilled

water and a pinch of gelatin granules. The bag was immersed in distilled

water and the weight was measured as in the preceding set-ups. The

change in weight was then recorded.

For the fifth set-up, a piece of dialyzing membrane was obtained

and was filled with NaCl - methylene blue solution. Another beaker was

thoroughly rinsed with distilled water. A drop of silver nitrate (AgNO 3) was

placed on the distilled water and the cloudiness was checked. If sodium

chloride was present, silver nitrate reacts with it and silver chloride (AgCl)

will be formed and making the water cloudy. if the test for sodium chloride

was negative, the dialyzing bag was immersed completely from the

distilled water. The set-up was performed in four trials.

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 Figure 1.6. Dialyzing bag immersed in solution contained in a

beaker.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

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 In the first experiment, when the cell is exposed to a medium with a

higher water concentration (hypotonic), the cell will swell. When it is

exposed to a medium with the same water concentration (isotonic), the

there will be no net movement of water. And when it is exposed to a

medium with a lower water concentration (hypertonic), the cell will shrink.

In the second experiment, the dialyzing bag represented the cell

membrane. As seen in table 1, when the concentration of the solute inside

the dialyzing bag is greater than the solute concentration outside the bag,

the dialyzing bag will swell. And when the concentration of the solute

inside the dialyzing bag is less than the solute concentration outside the

bag, the dialyzing bag will shrink. And when the solute concentration

inside and outside the bag is the same, there will be no net movement.

Macromolecules, which were represented by the gelatin granules, cannot

pass through the cell membrane, which was represented by the dialyzing

bag because the bag gained weight.

There were slight discrepancies in the result but according to

researches, the above statement is correct.

As seen in table 2, the NaCl and Methylene blue, which have

different composition, passed through the dialyzing bag in different rates.

NaCl moved out faster than the Methylene blue.

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 It was also proven that the dialyzing membrane, which represented

the cell membrane was semipermeable. It lets liquid particles to pass

through it but not the dissolved ones.

Weight of the Dialyzing Bag (grams)

Bag w/ sat'd. Bag w/ H2O &
Bag w/ sat'd. Bag w/ H2O NaCl in sat'd. gelatin granules in
Time (mins) NaCl in dH2O in sat'd. NaCl NaCl H2O
0 5.9 4.72 6.38 3.88
5 6.15 4.42 6.57 4.12
10 6.32 4.48 6.84 4.19
15 6.44 4.47 6.92 4.18
20 6.52 4.47 6.88 4.19
25 6.59 4.27 6.71 4.1
30 6.65 4.27 6.74 4.06
35 6.69 4.2 6.71 4.04
40 6.81 4.14 6.73 4.05
45 6.87 4.12 6.81 4.04
50 6.8 4 9.72 4.13

Table 1. the change in weight of th dialyzing bag immersed in

different solution concentrations with regards to time.

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 Fig. 1.7. The change in weight of the dialyzing bag
immersed in different solution concentrations with
regards to time

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dialyzing bag (grams) 10 Bag w/ sat'd. NaCl in
Weight of the

8 dH2O
6 Bag w/ H2O in sat'd.
NaCl
4
Bag w/ sat'd. NaCl in
2
sat'd. NaCl
0
Bag w/ H2O & gelatin
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
granules in H2O
Time (mins)

Time of Appearance (seconds)

Trial NaCl Methylene blue
1 16 366
2 9.7 194
3 14.28 181
4 13.65 318
Average 13.41 264.75

Table 2. the different time of appearance of NaCl and Methylene

blue immersed in silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

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 The semipermeability of the cell membrane was proven using two

experiments. The first one, red blood cells and the Hydrilla leaf cell were

exposed into different solutions with different solute concentration. The cell

swelled when exposed to a hypotonic solution. It had no net movement

when exposed to an isotonic solution. And it shrunk when exposed to a

hypertonic solution. The second experiment used models. A dialyzing bag

represented the cell membrane and was exposed to different solutions

with different solute concentrations. It had the same results with the first

experiment.

Thus, it was proven that the cell membrane is semipermeable.

LITERATURE CITED

1995. Osmosis. Grolier Encyclopedia of Knowledge. Volume 14: pp. 147-

148.

King, G.B., W.E. Caldwell, M.B. Williams. 1977. College chemistry. 7th ed.
New York: D. Van Nostrand Company. P. 299.

2009. Cell Membrane. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_membrane.

Accessed August 16, 2009.

2009. Osmosis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osmosis. Accessed August 16,

2009.

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