2B Flashcards
What do membranes do
control what passes through them,
what are the properties of plasma membranes
they are flexible and are able to break and fuse easily
allows cellular compartments to have different conditions
made up of phospholipids
what is a phospholipid made up of
1 glycerol
2 fatty acids
+ phosphate group
what is the structure of a phospholipid bilayer
fluid-mosaic model
why is the structure of a plans membrane called a fluid-mosaic model
fluid- phospholipids move freely and randomly side ways
mosaic- the proteins are distributed throughout the bilayer in a mosaic pattern
model- The agreed structure based upon experimental and chemical evidence.
what is the head of a phospholipid described as
hydrophilic- attracts water
what is the tail of a phospholipid described as
hydrophobic- repels water
how do the phospholipids arrange themselves
automatically orange themselves into a bilayer- the heads face out towards the water on either side of the membrane, the centre of the bilayer is hydrophobic so the membrane doesn’t allow water-soluble substances through it- it acts as a barrier to these dissolved substances.
what is cholesterol
a type of lipid, present in all cell membranes
what substances can diffuse straight through the bilayer
Fat soluble, non polar molecules
what substances cannot diffuse straight through the bilayer
water- soluble, polar molecules- require proteins
what is the function of a hydrophilic head
attracts water and polar molecules
what is the function of a hydrophobic tail
attracts lipid soluble/hydrophobic molecules, or barrier to polar molecules
what is the function of glycolipids
maintain the stability of the cell, to facilitate cellular recognition
what is the function of glycoproteins
receptor/antigen/recognition
what is the function of carbohydrate chain
receptor/antigen/recognition
what is the function of cholesterol
regulates membrane fluidity/ assists impermeability
what is the function of peripheral protein
Acts as a receptor or to bind carbohydrates
what is the function of carrier/channel protein
osmosis/ active transport/ diffusion.
explain why phospholipids form a bilayer in plasma membranes
-phospholipids have a polar phosphate group which are hydrophilic and will face the aqueous solution.
-The fatty acid tails are non-polar and will move away from an aqueous environment
-As both tissue fluid and cytoplasm is aqueous phospholipids form two layers with the hydrophobic tails facing inward and phosphate groups outwards interacting with the aqueous environment.
what are the 5 main roles of membranes within cells
-Control substances moving in and out of cells through diffusion, osmosis and active transport
-allow cellular compartments to have different conditions
-have large surface area for reactions
-May hold electron carriers (mitochondria)
May hold enzymes (chloroplasts)
function of the phospholipid bilayer
Forms impermeable barrier
allows cell to maintain different concentrations of either cells
what is diffusion
The net movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of lower concentration, down a concentration gradient.
what does a passive process mean
no energy is needed to make the molecules move, they have natural kinetic energy
what happens as a result of diffusion
equilibrium, where all molecules are evenly spread out. No net movement of molecules from one place to another
What are the factors effecting rate off diffusion
The steepness of the concentration gradient- The bigger the difference between the two sides of the membrane the quicker the rate of diffusion.
Distance- The shorter the route, the faster the rate of diffusion
The surface area- the greater the surface area the faster the diffusion can take place. This is because there molecules or ions fan cross the membrane
what is the equation for the rate of diffusion
rate of diffusion is proportional to=
surface area x difference in conc
__________________________________
Length of diffusion path
what is facilitated diffusion and give an example
Large polar molecules (e.g glucose), water soluble molecules , and charged molecules, require proteins to pass through the bilayer
what is osmosis
the diffusion of water molecules across a partially permeable membrane, from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential.
what is water potential
the potential of water molecules to diffuse out of or into sodium
what has the highest water potential
pure water
what is isotonic
if two solutions have the same water potential