Basic Cell Biology

Part II
Cellular Structure
and Function

Beining Chen, November 2004

Course Structure (2)

Main Reference Book:

Bruce Alberts, Essential Cell
Biology: an introduction to
the molecular biology of the cell,
Garland Publishing,
ISBN: 0-8135-2971-7
Library cat. No.: Q574.87 (E)
Course Structure (2)
Lecture 1 Architecture of membranes
Lecture 2 Transport in and out of cells
Lecture 3 Cytoskeletons
Lecture 4 Extracellular matrix
Lecture 5 Cell functions
Lecture 6 Tissues and Organs
Workshop/Tutorial

Written Examination!!!
What is interesting about cell
Biology?

‡ There is so much that is not understood

‡ Its complexity
„ Inter-relations of cells
„ Intra-relations of cells
„ The cell and its environment
‡ Its ability to live, grow, reproduce, adapt,
respond to their environment
‡ It makes up you and the food you eat
‡ Understanding of cellular system is critical
to the study of polymer chemistry
Hierarchy of Biological
Organization
Organism

Organ systems
eg. Circulatory system
Digestive system

Organs
eg. Heart
Liver

Tissues
4 major types
Epithelial, Connective, Muscular & Nervous

Cells
eg. cardiac cells
hepatocytes Life

Organelles
eg. ribosome
cell-membrane

Macromolecules
4 major classes:
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins & nucleic acids

Molecules and atoms

Cells
‡ Basic building blocks of life
‡ Smallest living unit of an organism
‡ Grow, reproduce, use energy, adapt, respond
to their environment
‡ A cell may be an entire organism or it may
be one of billions of cells that make up the
organism
‡ Molecules that make up the cell:
‡ 50% protein
‡ 15% nucleic acid
‡ 15% carbohydrates
‡ 10% lipids
‡ 10% Other
Cells are small

Sizes of viruses, cells, and organisms

Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic
Cells
Basic Cell Structure
Plasma and Internal membranes
Architecture of Membrane
‡ Lipid bilayer
‡ Membrane proteins
‡ Membrane assembly
‡ The fluid mosaic model
‡ Membrane reinforcement and fusion
The Cell membrane

‡ Called the plasma membrane or

unit membrane or plasmalemma;
‡ A container for a living cell;
‡ A fatty thin film, transparent;
‡ Structure based on lipid bilayer
with proteins interspersed;
‡ 5 – 10 nm thick
Cell Membrane
‡ Encloses every cell;
‡ Is arranged as a continuous double
layer;
‡ Is dynamic and fluid structure;
‡ Is a highly selective filter;
‡ Is a device for active transport;
‡ Controls the entry of nutrients and
exit of waste product;
‡ Acts as a sensor for external signal
Lipid composition of membranes

Membrane lipids include:

1. Phospholipids
1. lecithin(phosphatidylcholine
)
2. Cephalin
(phosphatidylethanolamine)
3. Phosphatidylserine
4. Sphinglomyelin
2. Cholesterol
3. Glycolipids
1. Galatocerebroside
(component of myelin)
2. Gangiosides (upto 10% of
nerve cell membrane lipids)
Phospholipids
Phospholipids are amphiphilic molecules.
Lipid composition of Membranes

10 main types of lipids

‡ Phosphatidylcholine
‡ Phosphatidylethnolamine
‡ Phosphatydilinositol
‡ Phosphatidylserine
‡ Phosphatidylglycerol
‡ Diphosphatidylglycerol (Cardiolipin)
‡ Phosphatidic acid
‡ Sphingomyelin
‡ Cholesterol
‡ Glycolipids
Phospholipids

Structure of a phospholipid, space-filling model

(left) and chain model (right)
Phospholipids

Phosphatidylcholine (PC)

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)

Phosphatidylserine (PS)
Phospholipids

Phosphatidylinositol (PI)

Phosphatidylglycerol (PG)

Diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG)
Phospholipids
Phosphatidylcholine (PC), Lecithins

R1=Palmitic acid C16H32O2 or

stearic acid C18H36O2

R2= oleic acid C18H34O2

or linoleic acid C18H32O2
Phospholipids
Phospholipids

Dipalmitoyllecitin is a component of lung

or pulmonary surfactant.

R1= R2 =Palmitic acid C16H32O2

Phospholipids

A sphingomyelin
Phospholipids
Phospholipids Distribution
Cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol molecules have several functions in the
membrane:
‡ They immobilize the first few hydrocarbon groups of
the phospholipid molecules. This makes the lipid
bilayer less deformable and decreases its
permeability to small water-soluble molecules.
Without cholesterol (such as in a bacterium) a cell
would need a cell wall.
‡ Cholesterol prevents crystallization of

hydrocarbons and phase shifts in the membrane.

Glycolipids
Lipid composition of Membrane
Proteins in Cell-membranes

‡ From 30 – 70 % of membrane (w/w)

‡ Binds asymmetrically to the
lipid bilayer
‡ 2 categories (on position):
„ Integral (intrinsic)
‡ One pass or
‡ multipass transmembrane proteins
„ Peripheral (extrinsic)
Interaction of membrane
proteins with lipid bilayer

a = single transmembrane segment; b = multiple transmembrane segment

c = bound to integral protein; d = bound electrostatically to lipid layer
e = attached by terminal hydrophobic seq; f = attached covalently to lipid
Peripheral & integral membrane
proteins
Some peripheral proteins are attached to
the membrane by electrostatic attraction
with the charged lipid heads; e.g.
cytochrome c is positively charged and
interacts with negatively charged lipids.
They can be removed by gentle methods

Integral proteins have hydrophobic areas

inside membrane, whereas hydrophilic parts
stick out into the cytoplasm, e.g.
cytochrome oxidase. They can be removed by
detergents.
Membrane protein functions

Transport Proteins are transmembrane proteins

Enzymes needed for metabolic pathways can

be aligned adjacent to each other to act like an
assembly line for the reactions.

Signal transduction proteins have attachment sites

for chemical messengers, such as hormones.
Membrane protein functions

Glycoproteins (carbohydrate-protein hybrids) serve as

surface receptors for cell recognition and identification.

Some proteins are responsible for the cell junctions such

as tight junctions and gap junctions that permit cells to
adhere to each other.

Attachment proteins attach to the cytoskeleton or

extracellular matrix (particularly for animal cells) and fix
into position some membrane proteins
Assembly of membranes
Driving Forces for the Assembly
of membranes

There are four principle kinds

of non-covalent forces:
hydrogen bonds
van der Waals Interaction
ionic interactions
hydrophobic interactions
Approximate strengths of molecular interactions

Type strength (kcal/mol)

covalent bonds -50 to -100
salt bridge -80 to -120
hydrogen bonds -3 to -6
van der waals forces -0.5 to -1
hydrophobic forces -0.5 to -3
Driving Forces for the Assembly
of membranes
‡ Hydrogen Bonds

Hydrogen bonding
donors/ [acceptors]:
C-H [C=C]
N-H [N]
P-H [P]
linear bonds are the strongest O-H [O]
OH---O (20-40kJ/mol) S-H [S]
CH---O & OH---pi (2-20kJ/mol) X-H [X] (halogens)
Driving Forces for the Assembly
of membranes
‡ Van Der Waals Interaction

Long range
Non-directional
<8kJ/mol
Salt Bridges
Van der Waals (London forces) interactions
Hydrophobic interactions
Driving Forces for the Assembly
of Macromolecules
‡ Hydrophobic Interaction
hydrophobic interactions
Molecular interactions
Larger Assembles

Fibrous Structures - Collgen

Assembly of membranes
Fluid-mosaic model
Using freeze fracture to study
membrane composition asymmetry

E face =
extracellular
face
P face =
protoplasmic
face
Mobility of lipids
Mobility of lipids and proteins
in cell membrane
•Some proteins move freely
•Others are limited in
movement
•Movement of integral proteins
to one region forming
aggregates = capping
•Lipids have limited movement

It shows fluorescent markers inserted in

membrane of cell. After fusion of both
cells with a Sendia virus, the
fluorescent markers is redistributed
showing that the membrane is laterally
traversible
Mobility of lipids and proteins
in cell membrane
Mobility of lipids and proteins
in cell membrane
Interaction of membrane proteins
with lipid bilayer
Domains and Microdomains: How membranes support cell
polarity, signaling, and unique functional sites.
Cell Membrane reinforcement
Reinforced by the cell cortex (a framework of
fibrous protein).
Cell surface is coated with carbohydrates –
proteoglycans. Protect, lubricate, have role
in cell recognition.
Cell Membrane fusion

Inversed fusion END!