The Plasma Membrane

3. The plasma membrane

• maintains internal conditions of the cell
• Communicate with other cells
• Described by the fluid mosaic model

Fig. 3.4 OpenStax

OR See Fig 4.5 McKinley
The Plasma Membrane
• Phospholipids – form a lipid bilayer
• Cholesterol –maintains fluidity
• Proteins-
• Integral proteins – extend through the lipid bilayer
• Peripheral proteins - attach to the surface

Fig. 3.4 OpenStax

OR See Fig 4.5 McKinley
 The Plasma Membrane
• Selective permeability – allows some substances to
cross, but not others
• gases, and small, fat soluble molecules can pass
easily
• Ions pass moderately easily
• Large, water soluble molecules don’t pass

Fig. 3.5 OpenStax

OR See Fig 4.8 McKinley
Transport Processes
• Passive processes involve substances moving across the
cell membranes without energy input (via diffusion)

• Active processes – use energy

Passive Transport Processes
Diffusion – passive spread of
particles, through random
motion, from areas of high
to low concentration
1) Simple Diffusion
Pass without the aid of a
membrane protein
2) Facilitated Diffusion
Requires a carrier protein or
channel

Fig 4.7 McKinley

Passive Transport Processes
• Osmosis is the net movement of water through a
selectively permeable membrane from an area of low
solute concentration to one of higher solute
concentration.
• Water can pass through the membrane in 2 ways:
1) simple diffusion – slower
2) Facilitated diffusion – through an aquaporin - faster
Passive Transport Processes
A solution’s tonicity is a measure of the solution’s ability to
change the volume of cells by altering their water content

Fig. 3.8 OpenStax

OR See Fig 4.12 McKinley
Passive Transport Processes
Isotonic solution Hypotonic solution Hypertonic solution

Interstitial fluid is the same Interstitial fluid is less Interstitial fluid is more
concentration as cytosol. concentrated than cytosol. concentrated than cytosol.

Water Water
enters leaves
No net cell.
movement cell.
of water.

Erythrocyte Erythrocyte Erythrocyte

Fig 4.12 McKinley

Transport Processes
• Active processes – move substances against their
concentration gradient
• primary – uses ATP (from mitochondria) for energy

• secondary – uses energy source other than ATP

Active Transport Processes
Na+/K+ pump is found in all cells
Transport 3 Na+ out, 2 K+ into cell
As a result, cells have low [Na+], and high [K+] inside the cell

Fig. 3.9 OpenStax

OR See Fig 4.14 McKinley
 Secondary Active Transport Mechanisms
• Antiporters – carry 2 substances across the membrane in
opposite directions
• Symporters – carry 2 substances across the membrane in the
same direction

Na+ diffuses down

Glucose is transported its gradient into cell.
up its gradient into cell.

Interstitial fluid

Symporter Antiporter

Cytosol

H+ is transported up
its gradient out of cell.

(a) Symporter: Substances (b) Antiporter: Substances

move in the same direction. move in opposite directions.

Fig 4.15 McKinley