BIOLOGY:

Membrane Structure and Function

 History of the Membrane Idea
• 1925— Gorter & Grendel—hydrophobic tails
inward.
• 1940s— Daniel and Davson—sandwich model:
(protein, phospholipid, and protein.)
• 1972— Singer and Nicholson—fluid mosaic
model.
 Membrane Models
• Fluid-Mosaic Model
– Membrane is a fluid phospholipid bilayer in which
protein molecules are either partially or wholly
embedded.
Functions of the Plasma Membrane
1. Regulates the passage of materials into and
out of the cell.
2. Receives chemical messages from other
cells, e.g. hormones, growth factors,
neurotransmitters.
• Maintains structural and chemical
relationships with other cells.
• Protects the cell, helps in cell movement,
secretion, and in transmitting impulses.
 Plasma Membrane as a Fluid
• At body temperature, consistency of olive oil.
• Each phospholipid molecule can move
sideways at ~ 2 mm/s
• Most proteins are free to drift along it.
• Cholesterol stiffens and strengthens the
membrane, helping to regulate fluidity.
Plasma membrane is differentially permeable.
– Passive Transport - No ATP requirement.
• Diffusion - Movement of molecules from a high to low
concentration until equilibrium is reached.
• Osmosis - Diffusion of water across a selectively
permeable membrane due to concentration differences.
– Osmotic pressure, the greater the pressure, the more water will
diffuse in that direction.
– Active Transport - Requires carrier protein and ATP.
Figure 8.12 The water balance of living cells
 Membrane-Assisted Transport
• Large marcomolecules are
transported into or out of the
cell by vesicle formation.
– Endocytosis - Cells take in
substances with vesicles
• Phagocytosis – solid material.
• Pinocytosis - Liquid particles.
– Exocytosis - Vesicles
secrete substances out of cell
 Plasma Membrane Structure
• Plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer.
• Hydrophilic polar heads face outside, and
hydrophobic nonpolar tails face each other.
• Proteins may be peripheral or integral.
– Peripheral proteins are
found on the inner
membrane surface.
– Integral proteins are
embedded in the
membrane.
 Carbohydrate Chains
• In animal cells, the carbohydrate chains give
the cell a “sugar coat,” called the glycocalyx
which helps
– protect the cell
– adhesion between cells
– in the reception of
signal molecules
– cell-to-cell recognition.
– give a “fingerprint”
(tissue rejection)
– give rise to A, B, and O
blood groups
 Protein Functions
• Channel Proteins - pass
molecules through
• Carrier Proteins - bond
with substance to help it
through
• Cell Recognition
Proteins - Help body
recognize foreign
substances and itself.
• Receptor Proteins -
Protein changes shape to
bring about cellular
change.
• Enzymatic Proteins -
Carry out metabolic
reactions directly.
 Transport by Carrier Proteins
• Carrier proteins combine with molecules
which are then transported through the
membrane.
– Facilitated Transport
• (facilitated diffusion)
• molecules move with
the gradient by combining
with carrier proteins.
– Active Transport
• molecules move against
the gradient by combining
with carrier proteins.
(requires ATP)
Figure 8.15 The sodium-potassium pump: a specific case of active transport
 Cell Surface Modifications
• Cell Surfaces in Animals—junctions between cells
Adhesion Junctions
• Intercellular filaments
between cells.
• bladder & stomach
Tight Junctions
• Impermeable barriers.
• intestines and kidneys.
Gap Junctions
• Membrane channels join
• Allows small ions &
molecules to pass
between cells.
 Cell Surface Modifications
– Extracellular Matrix
• Meshwork of polysaccharides
and proteins
• Can be flexible or hard,
as in bone.