1.2- Membrane Physiology Flashcards
Give the structure of the lipid bilayer
Phospholipids (polar heads to water, non polar tail to tail)
Glycolipid (protein anchors)
Cholesterol & sphingomyelin (lipid rafts)
What is being partitioned with the plasma membrane/ blood vessel wall?
Intracellular fluid and extracellular fluid (interstitial fluid, blood plasma)
Why is there a difference between intracellular and extracellular components?
To establish and electrochemical gradient
What are the types of transport?
Pores (fastest)
Ion channels/solute carriers
ATPases (slowest)
Discuss aquaporin
Primarily “open” when inserted in a membrane- but some pores can be regulated via protein-protein interactions
There are 13 mammalian AQPs identified with greater densities on tissue type:
Adipocytes (AQP 7) Blood (AQP 1, 3, 9) & Blood vessels (AQP 1) CNS (AQP 0, 1 & 3-5) Epidermis (AQP 3) Skeletal muscle (AQP 4) Lungs (AQP 3-5) Kidney (AQP 1-4 & 7)
Discuss prototype AQP 2 which is located primarily in the kidney
In the kidney water wants to be moved from the atipical lumen side across the apical membrane into the cell allowing reabsorption of H2O, an osmotic gradient is needed for water to move. What determines H2O transport is basically the density of AQP 2 channels on this membrane, more channels= more H2O moves.
Regarding ion channels, what needs to be established across the membrane?
A concentration gradient
Ion channels are gated in that the permeable pathway is only open for a limited time, what is required to open this pathway?
An activator
What types of gates do ion channels have?
Voltage gated: small electrical potential difference needed across cell membrane
Ligand gated: specific signal needed
Other (eg. Stretch-activated): respond to mechanical deformation
Why do ion channels only allow a certain set of ions or a particular ion?
Due to the presence of a selectivity filter
Nicotinic AChR (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor) are important in transferring certain types of cell signals and ions, what does activation require?
2 ACh to bind to both the α-subunit binding pocket. Activation alters the selective filter thereby allowing cation flux across the membrane. A channel is especially important in neuromuscular and ganglionic function
ATPases: Prototype Na+ K+ ATPase
The use of energy to move or pump a substance is primary active transport. If it is used to establish a gradient and that gradient is used to move the substance, then it is secondary active transport.
Where can ATPases be?
On any membrane: plasma or intracellular
When would a pump be termed electrogenic?
If the pump moves an unequal number of ions either in or out of the plasma membrane (i.e. creating both concentration and electrical gradients)