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Cell Membranes and Transport

The document summarizes key aspects of cell membrane structure and function. It describes the fluid mosaic model, where phospholipid molecules diffuse laterally and protein molecules are embedded. It then discusses the roles of membrane components like phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and glycoproteins. Various transport mechanisms across the membrane are also outlined, including carrier proteins, channel proteins, osmosis, endocytosis, and active transport via ATP hydrolysis.

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479 views10 pages

Cell Membranes and Transport

The document summarizes key aspects of cell membrane structure and function. It describes the fluid mosaic model, where phospholipid molecules diffuse laterally and protein molecules are embedded. It then discusses the roles of membrane components like phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and glycoproteins. Various transport mechanisms across the membrane are also outlined, including carrier proteins, channel proteins, osmosis, endocytosis, and active transport via ATP hydrolysis.

Uploaded by

lina
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Cell Membranes and

transport

Describe and Explain the fluid Mosaic


Model of membrane structure.
When you are asked to define or describe
or state: Fluid because the phospholipid
molecules diffuse within the monolayer.
Mosaic because the protein molecules
are scattered in the membrane.
When you are asked to explain the
examiner might look for roles of the
structures in the membranes depending
on the marks the question has.

Roles of cell membrane


components.
Phospholipids: they form the bilayer membrane, creating a
hydrophobic interior and isolating the cell from the outside
environment. Act as a barrier to water soluble molecules. Can be
modified to act as signalling molecules.
Cholesterol: helps to regulate fluidity of the membrane and also to
provide mechanical stability of the membranes.
Proteins: Some membrane proteins are enzymes, catalysing
reactions. most are transport proteins, providing hydrophilic
channels through the bi-layer for ions and polar molecules to pass
through.
Glycolipids and Glycoproteins: They form hydrogen bonds with the
water molecules surrounding the cell and thus help to stabilise
membrane structure. they are used as receptor molecules, binding
with hormones or neurotransmitters to trigger a series of chemical
reactions within the cell itself.Glycoproteins can also serve as
antigens, which are used in allowing cells to recognise each other.
Roles of cell surface antigens.

Carrier Proteins: These transport molecules


and ions using energy in the form of ATP by
active transport or simple diffusion. carrier
proteins bind specific molecules and then
undergo conformational changes that open
channels through which the molecule to be
transported can pass across the membrane
and be released on the other side. transport
both water soluble and insoluble substances.
Channel Proteins: Usually involved in
transport of glucose. By the process known as
facilitated diffusion. They have a fixed shape.
Solutes diffuse through the pore of channel
protein. only pass water soluble molecules.

Cell surface receptors: hydrophilic molecules bind with a


protein receptor in which they follow a signaling pathway.
The signal (ligand) binds to the receptor which has a specific
shape to recognize the signal. Message is passed in cell in a
process known as signal transduction. The receptor interacts
with a G protein which in turn acts as a switch to release a
small molecule which diffuses through the cell relaying the
message, known as second messenger. This second
messenger activates an enzyme which the signal is further
amplified to activate other enzymes in order to produce the
required change in cell metabolism. However there are other
ways in which a receptor can alter the activity of a cell:
1. opening an ion channel
2.Acting directly as a membrane bound enzyme
3.acting as an intracellular receptor
Cell- Cell contact is another mechanism of signaling i.e in
mammals known as gap junction and plants by
plasmodesmata.

Facilitated diffusionis passive transport that uses


integral membrane proteins to help larger, charged,
hydrophilic, and polar molecules across a
concentration gradient. Simple diffusion, on the other
hand, is the passage of a molecule or ion in a
membrane without the help or aid of another
intermediary such as proteins. What drives the
molecules and ions from a certain point to the other
side of the membrane is through diffusions force.
Osmosis: The movement of water molecules from a
region of higher water potential to a region of lower
water potential. Water potential is measured by unit
(psi). Pure water has a value of zero. Any
other solution has values of negative numbers.

Effects of osmosis
Animal cell: When immersed in a
solution with high water potential=
bursts and becomes haemolysed.
Concentrated solutions= shrinks.
Plants cell: high water potential=
Turgid. Concentrated solutions= It
becomes plasmolysed. Protoplast
shrinks away from cell wall.

Bulk transport
Endocytosis: the engulfing of
material by cell surface membrane.
Exocytosis: the process by which
materials are removed from cells.
Phagocytosis: cell eating
Pinocytosis: cell drinking
The vacuoles are known as
phagocytic vesicles.

Surface area to volume ratio


Illustrate the principle that surface area to
volume ratios decrease with increasing size.
Example is Cube: having side 1cm.
Surface area= 6 a2
Volume= a3
So 6:1 6/1 = 6
But if the cube has increased in size to 2cm
side then the ratio will be equal to 3. (24/8
28:8)

Active transport
Movement of molecules or ions from a region of lower
concentration to a region of higher concentration against
the concentration gradient using energy from ATP.
The energy is used to make the carrier protein change its
shape, transferring the molecules or ions across the
membrane.
Example is sodium-potassium (Na+ - K+) pump. Its role
is to pump 3 sodium ions out of the cell and 2 potassium
ions into the cell. The net result is that the inside of the
cell becomes more negative than the outside. The pump
has a receptor site for ATP acting as ATPase enzyme for
hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and phosphate to release
energy.

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