Chapter 5: Membranes Flashcards
Membrane
also called plasma membrane, is found in all cells and separates the cell from the outside environment
The lipid layer forming the foundation of a cell’s membrane is a bilayer of ?
Phospholipid
Phospholipids include ___,
___, ___
glycerol phospholipids, sphingolipids, and sphingomyelin
Cell membranes are assembled from four components:
Phospholipid bilayer, Transmembrane proteins, Interior Protein Network, and Cell-Surface Markers
What is the function of the phospholipid bilayer?
Provides permeability barrier, matrix for proteins
What does spectrins do?
Determine the shape of the cell
What do Clathrins do?
Anchor certain proteins to specific sites, expecially on the exterior plasma
Transmembrane proteins
The proteins has a variety of functions like transportation and communication
Interior Protein Network
Membranes are structurally supported by intracellular proteins, reinforcing the shape
Cell-Surface Markers
Different cell type exhibit various glycoproteins + glycolipids on their surface acting as a cell identity marker
Why do phospholipids spontaneously form bilayers?
The amphipathic structure
What part of the phospholipid is hydrophilic?
the polar head group
What part of the phospholipid is hydrophobic?
the nonpolar hydrocarbon tails
Why is a lipid bilayer stable?
because water has an affinity for hydrogen bonding, and doesn’t stop.
What changes the degree of membrane fluidity?
the composition of the membrane itself
How does changes in the environment effect the plasma membrane of a single-celled organism?
Increasing temperature makes a membrane more fluid and decreasing makes it less fluid
What are the six key classes of membrane proteins?
Transporters, enzymes, cell-surface receptors, cell-surface identity markers, cell-to-cell adhesion proteins, attachments to the cytoskeleton, proteins that affect membrane structure
Proteins that affect membrane structure
Membranes tend to form spheres or sheets in aqueous solutions. Wedge-shaped proteins can cause membranes to bend allowing the formation of tubes and folded sheets.
Enzymes
Cells carry out many chemical reaction on the interior surface of the plasma membrane, using enzymes attached to the membrane.
Cell-to-cell adhesion proteins
Cells use specific proteins to glue themselves to one another. Some act forming temporary interactions and other more permanent bond.
How membrane proteins attach to the surface of membranes, how do they do this?
Transmembrane domain
Hydrophobic region of a transmembrane protein that anchors it in the membrane
Passive transport
The movement of substances across a cell’s membrane without the expenditure of energy
Diffusion
A net movement of dissolved molecule or other particles from a region where they are more concentrated to a region where they are less concentrated