chapter 5 - plasma membranes Flashcards
what is the fluid mosaic model a diagram of?
the cell surface membrane / plasma membrane
what is the function of the phospholipid bilayer
separates the cell from the outside
fluid - moves more freely
selective permeability (permeable to small or non-polar molecules but impermeable to large molecules)
what is a phospholipid made up of?
a glycerol, two fatty acids (tails) and a phosphate-linked head group
how is the phospholipid bilayer arranged?
two layers of phospholipids, with their tales pointed inwards.
where are carbohydrate groups present in the plasma membrane ?
what do they form?
only on the outer surface of the membrane and are attached to proteins
forming glycoproteins, or attached to lipids forming glycolipids
which part of the phospholipid is hydrophilic and which part is hydrophobic?
and what does this mean?
the head is hydrophilic - water loving
the fatty acid tail is hydrophobic - water fearing
what are proteins called that extend all the way across the membrane?
transmembrane
integral
intrinsic
what are the top 3 major components in the cell membrane
- phospholipids
- proteins
- carbohydrates
why is it important for carbohydrate to form distinctive cellular markers?
so the immune cells can differentiate between body cells, which they shouldn’t attack and foreign cells or tissue which they should attack
how do saturated and unsaturated fatty acids react differently when temperature drops?
at cooler temperatures the saturated fatty acids pack tightly together, making a dense, fairly rigid membrane
unsaturated fatty acids can not pack together as tightly due to the bent structure of their tales.
because of this, a membrane containing unsaturated fatty acid tails with remain fluid at lower temperatures than a membrane of saturated ones
how does cholesterol minimize the effects of low and high temperatures
keeps phospholipids from packing tightly together.
at high temperatures the cholesterol reduces fluidity, allowing for a wider range of temperatures in which a membrane maintains a functional, healthy fluidity
what is important about the charge of the phospholipids
the head is polar - charged at the top
causing the phospholipid to become amphiphatic (some parts charged, others aren’t)
what are the 6 main functions of the cell surface membrane
- partially permeable (controls what enters and leaves the cell)
- protection from external environment
- surface proteins (antigens) bind and allow binding sites
- compartmentalise the cell
- cell communication & signalling
- hormone, toxin and medicinal drugs binding site
how thick is the surface membrane typically?
7-10nm thick
what is the name for the carbohydrate chain that forms glycoproteins or glycolipids? (sugar)
“saccharide” sugar
mono-saccharide = one sugar
poly-saccharide = many sugars
what are the names of proteins that go all the way through the membrane?
transmembrane
integral
intrinsic
what is the difference between extracellular and cytosolic peripheral proteins?
extra-cellular = on the outside of the cell - act as receptors and normally glycoproteins
cytosolic = on the inner side of the cell surface membrane - for cell signalling or chemical reactions
what are the 2 types of cholesterol apparent in the cell surface membrane?
LDL - low density
HDL - high density
what are the main functions of integral/ transmembrane proteins?
-transport of ions, sugars and amino acids
- some are receptors for hormones, neurotransmitters or enzymes
how does
-temperature
-solvents
and -detergents
affect the permeability of cell surface membranes?
- temperature = increase permeability - more Kinetic energy
at extremely high temperatures enzymes denature increasing fluidity further. - low temperature - ice crystals form, piercing membrane, increasing permeability
- solvents - increase (dissolve phospholipids)
-detergents - increase (strips phospholipid heads away)
what are the two passive processes to move molecules across membranes
diffusion
facilitated diffusion
define net movement
the overall movement