Plasma Membrane

 "Recognise" chemical messengers, such as insulin

 Regulates passage of substances into and out of cell
o The membrane has got different permeability for different substances
o Some substances can cross more easily than others
o Glucose, for example, is only selectively permeable

Fluid-mosaic model
 Membranes consist of a phospholipid bilayer studded with proteins, polysaccharides,
lipids
 The lipid bilayer is semipermeable - H2O and some small, uncharged, molecules (O2,
CO2) can pass through
 Phospholipids have two parts
o "Head": hydrophilic → attracts and mixes with H2O
o Two "fatty acid tails": hydrophobic

Function of proteins:
 Carrier (change shape for different molecules) for water-soluble molecules such as
glucose
 Channels for ions (sodium and chloride ions)
 Pumps use energy to move water-soluble molecules and ions
 Adhesion molecules for holding cells to extracellular matrix
 Receptors enable hormones and nerve transmitters to bind to specific cells
 Recognition sites, which identify a cell as being of a particular type
 Enzymes, which speed up chemical reactions at the edge of the membrane
 Adhesion sites, which help some cells to stick together
 E.g. glycoprotein acts as a receptor and recognition site

Passive transport uses energy from moving particles

(Kinetic Energy)
Diffusion

 Substances move down their conc. gradient until the conc. are in equilibrium
 Microvilli are extensions of the plasma membrane
o They increase the surface area of the membrane, therefore
o They accelerate the rate of diffusion
 Fick's law → rate of diffusion across an exchange surfaces (e.g. membrane,
epithelium) depends on
o surface area across within diffusion occurs (larger)
o thickness of surface (thinner)
o difference in conc. gradient (larger)
o (Surface Area * Difference in Conc.)/Thickness of Surface
  Temperature increases rate of diffusion due to increasing K.E. (kinetic energy)

Facilitate diffusion (proteins)

 Transmembrane proteins form a water-filled ion channel

o Allows the passage of ions (Ca2+, Na+, Cl-) down their conc. gradient
//passive - no ATP required
o Some channels use a gate to regulate the flow of ions
o Selective permeability - Not all molecules can pass through selective channels
 [MECHANISM] How do molecules move across the membrane?
o Carrier protein binds to substrate (the specific molecule)
o Molecule changes shape
o Release of the diffusing molecule (product) at the other side of the membrane
 [EXAMPLE]
o If you want to move a muscle a nerve impulse is sent to this muscle
o The nerve impulse triggers the release of a neurotransmitter
o Binding of the neurotransmitter to specific transmembrane proteins
o Opens channels that allow the passage of Na+ across the membrane
o In this specific case, the result is muscle contraction
o These Na+ channels can also be opened by a change in voltage

Osmosis

 Special term used for the diffusion of water through a differentially permeable cell
membrane
 Water is polar and able to pass through the lipid bilayer
 Transmembrane proteins that form hydrophilic channels accelerate osmosis, but water
is still able to get through membrane without them
 Osmosis generates pressure called osmotic pressure
o Water moves down its concentration gradient
o When pressure is equal on both sites net flow ceases (equilibrium)
o The pressure is said to be hydrostatic (water-stopping)

Water potential (measured in kPa - pressure)

 Measurement of ability or tendency of water molecules to move

 Water potential of distilled water is 0, other solutions have a negative water potential
 Hypotonic: Solution with a lower conc. of solute / gains water by osmosis
o Solution is more dilute
o Cells placed in a solution which is hypotonic will grow as water moves in
o Red blood cells will swell and burst if it is in a hypotonic solution
o Plant cells are unable to burst / they posses a strong cellulose wall
 Hypertonic: Solution with a higher conc. of solutes / loses water by osmosis
o Cells will shrink in hypertonic solutions (eg red blood cells)
 Isotonic: Solutions being compared have equal conc. of solutes
o Cells which are in an isotonic solution will not change their shape
o The extracellular fluid of the body is an isotonic solution
  Molecules collide with membrane / creates pressure, water potential
 More free water molecules, greater water potential, less negative
 Solute molecules attract water molecules which form a "shell" around them
o water molecules can no longer move freely
o less "free water" which lowers water potential, more negative

Active Transport
 Movement of solute against the conc. gradient, from low to high conc.
 Involves materials which will not move directly through the bilayer
 Molecules bind to specific carrier proteins / intrinsic proteins
 Involves ATP by cells (mitochondria) / respiration
o Direct Active Transport - transporters use hydrolysis to drive active transport
o Indirect Active Transport - transporters use energy already stored in gradient of
a directly-pumped ion
 Bilayer protein transports a solute molecule by undergoing a change in shape (induced
fit)
 Occurs in ion uptake by a plant root; glucose uptake by gut cells

Endocytosis and Exocytosis

 Substances are transported across plasma membrane in bulk via small vesicles
 Endocytosis
o Part of the plasma membrane sinks into the cell
o Forms a vesicle with substances from outside
o Seals back onto the plasma membrane again
o Phagocytosis: endocytosis brings solid material into the cell
o Pinocytosis: endocytosis brings fluid materials into the cell
 Exocytosis
o Vesicle is formed in the cytoplasm //May form from an edge of the Golgi
apparatus
o Moves towards plasma membrane and fuses with plasma membrane
o Contents are pushed outside cell
o Insulin is secreted from cells in this way

Further Information