Chapter 5- Plasma Membranes Flashcards
What are plasma membranes?
Membranes that cover the surface of every cell. They are PARTIALLY PERMEABLE.
What is the function of plasma membranes?
Describe the fluid mosaic model?
Explain why phospholipids form a bilayer in plasma membranes:
Describe what intrinsic and extrinsic proteins are:
What are Glycoproteins?
Glycoproteins are:
- intrinsic
- protein with carbohydrates attached- varying shape + size
What are the roles of Glycoproteins?
Describe cell-signalling. Include details on Hormone Receptors.
They are glycoproteins.
What are Neurotransmitters?
They are glycoproteins.
What are Glycolipids?
Glycolipids are lipids with attached carbohydrate (sugar) chains.
What are antigens?
Antigens are a type of glycolipid.
Why is membrane fluidity important for a cell’s normal function?
Fluid Membrane needed for many processes:
- diffusion of substances across membrane
- membranes to fuse during exocytosis
- cell move + change shape. E.g. macrophage during phagocytosis.
What property of a phospholipid makes the cell membrane fluid?
Lipids are short + unsaturated.
- Lipids with short + unsaturated tails have low melting point. - increases fluidity
- The double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids create kinks
- SO, lipid molecules are more loosely packed.
What effect does temperature increase have on the membrane permeability?
What effect does use of solvent have on membrane permeability?