The Plasma Membrane and

Membrane Potential

Chapter 3
The plasma membrane is a fluid
lipid bilayer embedded with
proteins.
• Phospholipids form a bilayer. The bilayer has a
hydrophobic interior. This interior is sandwiched between
hydrophilic inner and outer surfaces.

• Carbohydrates are attached to its outer surface.

• Cholesterol
molecules are
tucked between
the phospholipid
molecules.

• Its appearance
is trilaminar.
 The lipid bilayer has
three functions.
• It forms the basic structure of the membrane.

• Its hydrophobic interior is a barrier to water-soluble

substances.

• It allows the membrane to be fluid.

 The membrane proteins
have many functions

• Some span the membrane as water-filled channels.

• Others serve as carrier molecules.
• Some serve as docking-marker acceptors.
• Membrane-bound enzymes are on the surface.
• Receptor sites are proteins that bind with specific
molecules.
• Some proteins are cell adhesion molecules.
Cells are held together by
different means.

• extracellular matrix - It serves as a biological “glue.”

Three kinds of protein fibers are interwoven in this
matrix: collagen, elastin, fibronectin.
• desmosomes - They act as “spot rivets” to anchor
adjacent cells that are not touching.
• tight junctions - Cells adhere this way at points of direct
contact.
• gap junctions - These small tunnels connect cells.
Membrane transport can be
unassisted. Diffusion is one
example.
• Diffusion depends on the random movement of molecules.

• By net diffusion molecules move down their concentration

gradient.

• Net diffusion tends toward a steady state .

• Diffusion can occur through a permeable membrane.

Substances can pass through a lipid bilayer or channel.
Activities in the human
body where diffusion
occurs include:
• The exchange of oxygen and carbon
dioxide between the blood and the air in
the lungs.
• The movement of substances across
kidney tubules.
• The diffusion of sodium and potassium ions
through open channels in the plasma
membrane.
By Fick’s law of
diffusion, five factors
affect the rate of
diffusion.
• the magnitude of the concentration
gradient
• the permeability of the plasma membrane
to a substance.
• the surface area of the membrane across
which diffusion takes place
• the molecular weight of a substance
• the distance through which diffusion takes
Ions that can permeate the
membrane also passively
move along their electrical
gradient.
• A difference in charge between two adjacent areas
produces an electrical gradient.

• The net effect of electrical and concentration gradients

produces an electrochemical gradient.
Osmosis is the net
diffusion of water down its
own concentration
gradient.
• Osmosis can occur when a membrane
separates unequal solutions of a
penetrating solute.
• Osmosis can occur when a membrane
separates unequal solutions of a
nonpenetrating solute.
– Insert Fig. 3-14 through 18
Tonicity of a solution is
the effect the solution
has on cell volume.
• An isotonic solution has the same
concentration of nonpenetrating solutes as
normal body cells.
• A hypotonic solution has a lower
concentration of nonpenetrating solutes
compared to normal body cells.
• A hypertonic solution has a higher
concentration of nonpenetrating solutes
compared to normal body cells.
Membrane transport can
be assisted.

• Carrier-mediated transport occurs by

a carrier molecule flipping and
changing its shape.
• It can be active or passive.
• It has three important characteristics:
– specificity
– saturation
– competition
Facilitated diffusion is a
type of assisted
transport.
• By this process a substance moves
form a higher to lower
concentration.
• Unlike simple diffusion, facilitated
diffusion requires a carrier molecule.
• Glucose is transported into cells by
facilitated transport.
Active transport is a type of
assisted transport.

• A substance moves against its concentration

gradient.
• It requires a carrier molecule.
• Primary active transport requires the direct
use of ATP to drive a sodium-potassium
pump.
• Secondary active transport is driven by a
concentration gradient of ions established
by primary active transport.
– See Figs. 3-21 and 3-22
Other kinds of assisted
transport are:
• vesicular transport - Materials move
in or out of the cell wrapped in a
membrane.
• Examples of vesicular transport as
endocytosis and exocytosis.
• By endocytosis substances move
into the cell.
• Exocytosis is the reverse process.
All cells establish a
membrane potential.
• This is a separation of charges
across the plasma membrane.
• A cell develops a resting membrane
potential when it is not sending
electrical signals.
 The sodium-potassium pump
has a small effect on
membrane potential.
• It transports more sodium ions to the ECF than potassium
ions to the ICF.
• A resting membrane is more permeable to potassium.
• Therefore, more potassium diffuses into the ECF compared
to the diffusion of sodium into the ICF.
• The potassium equilibrium potential has a major effect on
the plasma membrane potential at rest.
Nerve and muscle
cells have a
specialized use of
the membrane
potential.