Membrane Function

How does the cell membrane control movement of materials?

Why?
The membrane is critical to the maintenance of homeostasis in living organisms. The cell membrane sepa-
rates the cell from the external environment and plays a critical role in regulating movement of material in
and out of the cell. Additionally, eukaryotic cells are made complex by the presence of internal membranes
that form organelles, so the cells may become specialized. These organelle membranes create compart-
ments within the cell that can do specific functions.

Model 1 – Types of Ions and Molecules in a Cell

Type 1 Ions Type 2 Molecules Type 3 Molecules Type 4 Molecules
Glucose: Water: Molecular oxygen (O2):
Potassium: K+ OH O
H H O O
Sodium: Na+ H O H
H Urea: Carbon dioxide (CO2):
OH H O
Calcium: Ca2+ O C O
OH OH
C
Chloride: Cl– H OH H2 N NH2

polar polar polar nonpolar

small large small small
  1. Consider the ions and molecules in Model 1.
a. Identify at least two substances that would need to move into a cell to maintain homeostasis.
oxygen and water

b. Briefly explain why the cell needs each of the substances you identified in part a.
the cells needs oxygen to be able to release energy from food and water to help it mantain
balnce

  2. Consider the ions and molecules in Model 1.

a. Identify at least two substances that would need to move out of a cell to maintain homeostasis.
carbon dioxide and urea

b. Briefly explain the source of the molecules you identified in part a.

thry are both waster products

  3. Complete the table by labeling the types of substances as polar or nonpolar and large or small.

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 Model 2 – Selectively Permeable Cell Membrane

Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid

1 2

Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid

3 4

4. The four diagrams in Model 2 illustrate movement of four types of substances (see the table in
Model 1) across a phospholipid bilayer.
a. Use your knowledge of membrane structure and the chemical structures in Model 1 to
identify the shapes used in Model 2.

phospholipid cartim glucose urea carbon dioxide

b. Label each diagram in Model 2 with the ion or molecule type (i.e., Type 1 Ions or Type 2
Molecules) based on the information in Model 1.
5. For each diagram in Model 2, predict which direction of the ion or molecule would move towards
in a normal functioning cell. Use arrows pointing right or left (into or out of cell).

2 POGIL™ Activities for AP* Biology

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   6. Assume the substances in Model 2 were on only one side of the membrane to start. The diagrams
illustrate what would happen after some time has passed.
a. Which substances in Model 2 appear to be completely blocked by the membrane?
1, its ions
b. Which substances in Model 2 appear to be able to pass freely through the membrane?
4
c. Which substances in Model 2 appear to pass through the membrane with some difficulty?
2 and 3
d. Urea appears to pass through the membrane more easily than glucose. What characteristic of
urea might help explain this observation?
due to its small size, it canpass through easily

  7. The majority of the membrane is made of nonpolar hydrocarbon chains. Use the diagrams in
Model 2 and the table in Model 1 to explain the permeability of the membrane for each of the
four types of substances in Model 1. Hint: Like dissolves like.
Type 1 Ions:
it does not interact with hydrophobic tails

Type 2 Molecules (Large, polar biomolecules):

it can not fit between phospolipids. they dont wanna interact with the hydrophobic tails

Type 3 Molecules (Small, polar molecules):

does not want to interact with the hydrophobic tails

Type 4 Molecules (Small, nonpolar molecules):

can easily interact with the hrydrophobic tails

Read This!
Diffusion is the process of molecules traveling through a membrane barrier from a location of high
concentration to a location of low concentration. The driving force for this process is simply the natural
movement of the molecules in random directions. Whether the molecules are allowed to cross or not is
only due to the polarity of the molecules themselves and their size. No energy is needed, which is why
diffusion is considered a type of passive transport. This process is illustrated in Model 2 for several types
of molecules.

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 Model 3 – Embedded Proteins
Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid

embedded proteins
embedded
proteins

Extracellular Fluid Cytoplasmic Fluid

embedded proteins

  8. Label the embedded proteins in the membrane diagrams of Model 3.

  9. What appears to be the effect of inserting a protein channel into the membrane on the move-
ment of molecules across the membrane?
they allow molecules that were unable to cross the membrane to now be able to diffuse

10. Is the inner surface of the embedded protein likely to be polar or nonpolar in the examples
shown in Model 3? Explain your reasoning.
it is polar, they dont wanna intreact with any type of liquid

Read This!
When an embedded protein assists in the passive transport of molecules across a barrier in the direction
of the concentration gradient (from high concentration to low concentration) it is called facilitated dif-
fusion. Embedded proteins may also be involved in active transport where the cell uses energy from ATP
to move molecules across a membrane against the concentration gradient.
11. Summarize the two types of passive transport discussed above. In your answer consider the types
of molecules that are transported, the direction of transport, and any external energy or special
structures that are needed in the process.
simple diffusionm moves down gradient, diffuses between phospholipids. facilitated diffusion moves
down the gradient, moves through bidirectional channel.

12. Summarize active transport. In your answer consider the direction of transport and any external
energy or special structures that are needed in the process.
active transport always involves molecule types 1-3. it moves up the gradient.it needs energy from
atp

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 Extension Questions
13. Some embedded proteins are called aquaporins. What molecule do you think aquaporins assist
in transporting across a membrane?
water

14. The molecules below are often moved into or out of cells during biological processes. Categorize
each molecule into one of the four types (from Model 1). Using that classification decide wheth-
er or not they would be able to cross the cell membrane freely without the help of a membrane
protein.
Nitrogen Hydronium Alanine Sucrose Bicarbonate
gas (amino acid)
OH OH
O CH 2 H2 C
O O
N2 H3O + H3 C C O OH
CH OH OH CH2OH C
O HO O–
NH2 HO
OH
OH

4 3 2 2 3

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