WHAT IS CELL MEMBRANE?

The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane or plasmalemma) is a biological
membrane separating the interior of a cell from the outside environment
It appears in thin sections with the electron microscope as a triple-layered structure
about 7.5-10 nanometers thick
Term coined by C. Nageli and C. Cramer in 1855, and Plasmalemma coined by J. Q.
Plowe in 1931

CELL MEMBRANE
The cell membrane is flexible and allows a unicellular
organism to move

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Lipids - four major classes of lipids are commonly present in
the plasma membrane: phospholipids (most abundant),
spingolipids, glycolipids and sterols (e.g. cholesterol). All of them are amphipathic.
Cholesterol is abundant in mammalian cell and is absent in prokaryotic cells
Proteins- plasma membrane contains about 50% protein. Amount and type is variable.
Myelin cells contains about 25% protein internal membranes of chloroplast and
mitochondria contains 50% protein. Proteins of plasma membranes are of two types
ectoproteins and endoproteins. Plasma membranes contains structural proteins,
transport proteins and enzymes. Some of them acts as receptors. (enzymes present in
the plasma membrane are Acetyl phosphatase, acid phosphatase, ATPase, RNAase,
maltase, lactase, phospholipase etc)
Carbohydrates - they are present only in the plasma membrane and are present exterior
(glycoproteins) or polar end of phospholipids at the external surface of plasma
membrane
 PHOSPHOLIPIDS
Phospholipids (PL) molecule has a polar
head and nonpolar tails
The polar head is charged and hydrophilic
(loves water) facing outward, contains a
— PO4 group & glycerol
The nonpolar tails are hydrophobic (hates
water) facing inward contains 2 fatty acid
chains that are nonpolar
When PL placed in water form spherical
bilayer

MEMBRANE CHOLESTEROL
The amount of cholesterol may vary with the type of
membrane
Plasma membranes have nearly one cholesterol per
phospholipid molecule

PROTEINS ARE CRITICAL TO MEMBRANE FUNCTION

 STRUCTURE OF CELL MEMBRANE

MEMBRANE COMPONENTS

FUNCTION OF CELL MEMBRANE

FUNCTIONS OF PLASMA MEMBRANE
Keeps a cell intact
Protective barrier
Regulate transport in & out of cell (selectively permeable)
Small lipid-soluble molecules, e.g. oxygen and carbon dioxide can pass easily
Water can freely cross the membrane
 Tons and large molecules cannot cross without assistance
Allow cell recognition
Provide anchoring sites for filaments of cytoskeleton Provide a binding site for
enzymes
Interlocking surfaces bind cells together (junctions)
Contains the cytoplasm (fluid in cell)

MEMBRANE STRUCTURE

Membranes consist of a phospholipid bilayer

combined with a variety of proteins in a fluid
mosaic arrangement
The surfaces of cell membranes are hydrophilic
(water-loving); the interiors are hydrophobic

Models of plasma membrane

DANIELLI AND DAVSON MODEL
In 1935, Danielli and Davson studied triglyceride lipid bilayers over a water surface
They found that they arranged themselves with the polar heads facing outward
It always formed droplets (oil in water) and the surface tension was much higher
than that of cells
Called as Sandwich model
ROBERTSON'S MODEL
In 1965, Robertson noted the
structure of membranes seen in
the electron micrographs
He saw no spaces for pores in
the electron micrographs
He hypothesized that the railroad
track appearance came from the
binding of osmium tetroxide to
proteins and polar groups of
lipids
Proposed unit membrane
hypothesis

FLUID MOSAIC MODEL

According to S. J. Singer and Garth Nicolson 1972, the biological membranes can be
considered as a twodimensional liquid where all lipid and protein molecules diffuse
more or less freely
Singer studied phospholipid bilayers and found that they can form a flattened
surface on water, with no requirement for a protein coat
It occurs in form of globular protein
Widely accepted model
 General Biology 1 (finals)
1.Bigger arrow- Hydrophilic heads
2. Smaller arrow -Hydrophobic tail
EXOCYTOSIS
• Active transport shows how materials EXIT the cell.
HYPOTONIC
• "less than" or"below"where the water or solution outside the cell and will cause thecell to take
in water,and swell
OSMOSIS

• movement of water through a selectively permeable membrane like the cell membrane-
ACIDIC

• Solutions with a pH from 0-6 like vinegar,lemon juice and soda are
HOMEOSTASIS

• refers to the stability of internal environment.

A solution with a pH of 8-14 are considered as basic.
pH scale

• tells how acidic or basic a solution is.

Diffusion
• is the movement of small particles across the cell membrane like the cell membrane until
homeostasis is reached.

The cell membrane is also called the PLASMA MEMBRANE and is made of a phospholipid
BILAYER. The phospholipids have a hydrophilic HEAD and two hydrophobic (water-repelling)
TAILS. Phospholipids can move FREELY, and allow water and other SMALL molecules to pass
through into or out of the cell. This is known as simple DIFFUSION because it does not require
ENERGY, and the water molecules are moving DOWN the concentration gradient.

LITMUS PAPER

• What is the simplest way to test the pH of a solution?

PH 10

• A solution with a pH of 9 is ten times more acidic than what pH value?

ALKALINE SOLUTION

• If a pH indicator turns blue when added to a substance,what type of substance is it?

a solution of pH 4 has more hydrogen ions.

• Does a solution at pH 4 have more or less hydrogen ions than the same amount of another
solution at pH 8?

• What is the pH of pure water?

0-1

• What is the pH of strong acids on the pH scale?

0-14

• What substance changes color when exposed What is the range of the pH scale?

Phenolphthalein is an indicator

• to an acid or base?

ACETIC ACID

• What is the correct chemical name for vinegar?

SLIGHTLY ACIDIC

• Milk: has a pH of 6.8. Is it slightly base or slightly acidic?

pH scale= below 7 are considered acidic. The more H+ ions a solution has, the lower its pH.

• When cranberry juice breaks down it releases more H+ions that OH-ions. Where does that rank
cranberry juice on the pH scale?

NEUTRAL
 • Glucose has a pH of 7. What does that tell you?

BASE

• Bleach has a pH of around 12. What is it considered on the pH scale?

Alkaline – feel ko sagot <-> acids = sagot ni maam

• What is a solution called that has more OH-ions H+ ions?

ACIDS

• What are compounds called that form H+ions when dissolved in water?

PH SCALE

• What is the value used to express the acidity or alkalinity of a solution?

12-14

• On the pH scale,where can you find the strong bases?

• What is the pH of a neutral solution?

PH AROUND 0-1

• On the pH scale, where can you find the strong acids?

The lower the pH, the higher the concentration of hydrogen ions in the solution.

HYDROGEN IONS

• What do acidic solutions have high concentrations of?

OSMOSIS CONCENTRATIONS

• HYPOTONIC
• HYPERTONIC
• ISOTONIC

ACTIVE TRANSPORT
• EXOcytosis = how materials EXIT the cell (how the cell uses the bathroom)
• ENDOcytosis = how materials ENTER the cell (cell eating/engulfing)
• PINOcytosis = how small materials ENTER the cell (cell eating/engulfing)
• PHAGOcytosis = how larger materials ENTER the cell (cell eating/engulfing)

2 TYPES OF WATER

• HYDROPHOBIC
• HYDROPHILIC

A. Phospholipid Bilayer
B. Integral Protein
C. Glycoprotein
D.
E. Glycolipids
F. Fatty Acid Tails
G. Phosphate Heads
H. Peripheral Protein
I. Cholesterol