The Plasma Membrane

(Structure & Function)

 Cell Membrane
– A membrane made
of two layers of
phospholipids with
embedded proteins
that separates the
insides of the cell
from its
environment
 FLUID MOSAIC MODEL
 Singer and Nicolson (1972)
 FUNCTION
 PROTECTION – serves as a barrier that
separates the components of the cell from
its surrounding environment

 MATERIAL TRANSPORT – a semi-

permeable membrane that regulates the
transport of materials in and out of the cell
 FUNCTION
 CELL SHAPE - serves as an attachment
point of the cytoskeleton which aids in
maintaining the shape and form of the cell

 COMPARTMENTALIZATION - separates
the organelles from each other and from the
cytoplasm providing their own environment
and functional individuality.
 FUNCTION
 CELL RECOGNITION – enable cells to
identify other cells and foreign substances

 CELL FUNCTION – plays vital role in the

performance of the cell’s function i.e
locomotion, absorption, impulse
transmission.
Structure of the Plasma Membrane
 Identify the biomolecule found in cell
membranes by unscrambling the letters

LI L
I PPIIDS SD

 Group of organic compounds that are insoluble in water.

Examples include fats, waxes, oils, and hormones
 PHOSPHOLIPID BILAYER
 Phospholipid bilayer
- amphipathic molecules,
containing hydrophobic
and hydrophilic regions.

 Phospholipid
Hydrophilic head –
attracts water
Hydrophobic tails – repel
water
 Identify the biomolecule found in cell
membranes by unscrambling the letters

PORNOPTI E
R ITNESS

 These biomolecules are made up of

building blocks called amino acids joined
by peptide bonds
 Functions
 Receptors
 Channel
 Adhesion
 Cell-cell recognition
 Enzymatic function
 Integral Proteins
- permanently
embedded within
the plasma membrane
- functions include
channeling or
transporting
molecules across the
membrane
 Peripheral Proteins
- peripheral membrane
proteins, are a group of
biologically active
molecules formed from
amino acids which
interact with the surface
of the lipid bilayer of cell
membranes
- peripheral proteins do
not enter into
the hydrophobic space
within the cell
membrane
 Identify the biomolecule found in cell
membranes by unscrambling the letters

 DCARBOHYDRATES
ASOCTRAYBEHR

 Made up of carbon, hydrogen, and

oxygen. Sugar, starches and fiber are
some of its examples
 Carbohydrates
- Mostly found on the
external surface
TYPES
1.Glycoproteins –
attached to proteins
2.Glycolipids –
attached to lipids
 Functions
 Forms distinctive cellular markers
 Cell-cell recognition
 Cell-pathogen interaction
 Identify the biomolecule found in cell
membranes by unscrambling the letters

 CHOLESTEROL
ELCSHOROETL

 Type of lipid, a waxy substance found in cells. It is

essential in the production of other biomolecules
like hormones, steroids and Vitamin D.
 Cholesterol
- Regulates the fluidity
of the membrane as
temperature varies

HIGH TEMPERATURE
– decrease fluidity

LOW TEMPERATURE
– increase fluidity
Transport Mechanisms
 Transport Mechanisms

 Refers to the movement of particles

across or through a membranous barrier
 How do materials move into and
out of the cell?
• Materials must move
in and out of the cell
through the plasma
membrane.
• Some materials
move between the
phospholipids.
• Some materials
move through the
proteins.
 Plasma Membrane Transport
• Molecules move across the plasma
membrane by:
 What are three types of
passive transport?
- ATP energy is not needed
to move the molecules
through.
- The concentration gradient
is from high concentration to
low concentration
1) Diffusion
2) Facilitated Diffusion
3) Osmosis
Passive transport moves molecule from an
area of high concentration to an area of low
concentration. Which best describe this
movement?
 Passive Transport 1: Diffusion
• Molecules can move directly
through the phospholipids of the
plasma membrane
 What is Diffusion?

• Diffusion is the net

movement of molecules
from a high
concentration to a low
concentration until
equally distributed.

• Diffusion rate is related

to temperature,
pressure, state of matter,
size of concentration
gradient, and surface
area of membrane.

http://www.biologycorner.com/resources/diffusion-animated.gif
 Example of molecules that pass
through the plasma membrane by
diffusion
• Gases (oxygen,
carbon dioxide)
 Why is diffusion important to cells
and humans?
• Cell respiration
• Alveoli of lungs
• Capillaries
• Red Blood Cells
 Passive Transport 2: Facilitated
Diffusion
• Molecules can move through the
plasma membrane with the aid of
transport proteins
 What is Facilitated Diffusion?

• Facilitated diffusion
is the net movement
of molecules from a
high concentration to
a low concentration
with the aid of
channel or carrier
proteins.
 What molecules move through the plasma
membrane by facilitated diffusion?
• Ions
(Na+, K+, Cl-)

• Sugars
(Glucose)

• Amino Acids

• Small water soluble

molecules
 How do molecules move through the
plasma membrane by facilitated diffusion?

• Channel and Carrier proteins are specific:

• Channel Proteins allow ions, small solutes, and water
to pass
• Carrier Proteins move glucose and amino acids
Why is facilitated diffusion important
to cells and humans?
• Cells obtain food for
cell respiration
• Neurons
communicate
• Small intestine cells
transport food to
bloodstream
• Muscle cells contract
 Passive Transport 3: Osmosis
• Water Molecules can move directly
through the phospholipids of the
plasma membrane
 What is Osmosis?

• Diffusion of solvent molecules through a semi-

permeable membrane from area of low solute
concentration to an area of high solute
concentration
 Osmosis in action
• What will happen in
the U-tube if water
freely moves through
the membrane but
glucose can not pass?

• Water moves from side

with high concentration of
water to side with lower
concentration of water.
 Why is osmosis important to cells
and humans?
• Cells remove water
produced by cell
respiration.
• Large intestine cells
transport water to
bloodstream
• Kidney cells form
urine
 Osmosis and Tonicity
 Tonicity refers to the total solute
concentration of the solution outside the
cell.
 What are the three types of tonicity?
1) Isotonic
2) Hypotonic
3) Hypertonic
 Isotonic
 Solutions that have
the same
concentration of
solutes as the
suspended cell.

 What will happen to a

cell placed in an
Isotonic solution?
 The cell will have no
net movement of
water and will stay the
same size.
 Hypotonic
 Solutions that have a lower
solute concentration than the
suspended cell.

 What will happen to a cell

placed in a Hypotonic solution?
 The cell will gain water and
swell.
 If the cell bursts, then we call
this lysis. (Red blood cells =
hemolysis)
 Hypertonic
 Solutions that have a higher
solute concentration than a
suspended cell.

 What will happen to a cell

placed in a Hypertonic
solution?
 The cell will lose water and
shrink. (Red blood cells =
crenation)
 Review: Passive Transport

• Diffusion – O2 moves in and CO2 moves out

during cell respiration

• Facilitated Diffusion – glucose and amino

acids enter cell for cell respiration

• Osmosis – cell removal or addition of water

 Review Tonicity
 What will happen to a red blood cell in a
hypertonic solution?
 What will happen to a red blood cell in an
isotonic solution?
 What will happen to a red blood cell in a
hypotonic solution?
 What are three types of
Active transport?

1) Active Transport
1) Primary
2) Secondary (no ATP)
2) Bulk Transport
1) Exocytosis
2) Endocytosis
1) Phagocytosis
2) Pinocytosis
3) Receptor-Mediated
ATP energy is
endocytosis required to move the
molecules through.
 Active Transport
 Molecules move from areas of low
concentration to areas of high concentration
with the aid of ATP energy.
 Requires protein carriers called Pumps.
 The Importance of Active Transport
 Bring in essential molecules: ions,
amino acids, glucose, nucleotides

 Rid cell of unwanted molecules (Ex.

sodium from urine in kidneys)

 Maintain internal conditions different

from the environment
 Primary Active Transport
 Uses energy usually in the form of ATP
 Membrane Protein transporters includes ion
pumps, ion channels, ATPases
 The Sodium-Potassium Pump
 3 Sodium ions move out of
the cell and then 2
Potassium ions move into
the cell.
 Driven by the splitting of
ATP to provide energy and
conformational change to
proteins by adding and then
taking away a phosphate
group.
 Used to establish an
electrochemical gradient
across neuron cell
membranes. http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/library/biology107/bi107vc/fa99/terry/images/ATPpumA.gif
 Secondary Active Transport
Via Facilitated Diffusion of Na

 Counter Transport – the transport

of two substances at the same time
in opposite directions, without ATP.
Protein carriers are called
Antiports.
 Co-transport – the transport of
two substances at the same time in
the same direction, without ATP.
Protein carriers are called
Symports.
 Bulk Transport: Exocytosis
 Movement of large
molecules bound in
vesicles out of the cell
with the aid of ATP
energy. Vesicle fuses
with the plasma
membrane to eject
macromolecules.
 Ex. Proteins,
polysaccharides,
polynucleotides, whole
cells, hormones, mucus,
neurotransmitters, waste
 Bulk Transport: Endocytosis
 Movement of large molecules into the cell
by engulfing them in vesicles, using ATP
energy.
 Three types of Endocytosis:
– Phagocytosis
– Pinocytosis
– Receptor-mediated endocytosis
 Phagocytosis
 “Cellular Eating” – engulfing large
molecules, whole cells, bacteria
 Ex. Macrophages ingesting bacteria or worn
out red blood cells.
 Ex. Unicellular organisms engulfing food
particles.
 Pinocytosis
 “Cellular Drinking” – engulfing liquids and
small molecules dissolved in liquids;
unspecific what enters.
 Ex. Intestinal cells, Kidney cells, Plant root
cells
 Receptor-Mediated Endocytosis
 Movement of very specific
molecules into the cell with the
use of vesicles coated with the
protein clathrin.
 Coated pits are specific
locations coated with clathrin
and receptors. When specific
molecules (ligands) bind to the
receptors, then this stimulates
the molecules to be engulfed
into a coated vesicle.
 Ex. Uptake of cholesterol (LDL)
by animal cells
 Review Types of Endocytosis

 What is phagocytosis?

 What is pinocytosis?

 What is receptor-
mediated endocytosis?
 ½ Sheet of Paper
Post Assessment
 What will be the possible effects of a faulty
plasma membrane?