factors effecting membrane strucuture and permeability Flashcards
1
Q
what are the 2 main factors that effect membrane structure/permeability?
A
- temperature
- solvent concentration
2
Q
what components are effected by temperature?
A
lipids (phospholipids and glycolipids) and proteins (transport and glycoproteins)
3
Q
what happens as temperature increases?
A
lipids become more fluid and proteins denature
4
Q
what does it mean if a membrane is too fluid?
A
polar molecules can pass through
5
Q
why is it bad if proteins denature?
A
the membrane is no longer an effective barrier so substances can freely move through
6
Q
how do organic solvents increase permeability?
A
by dissolving the lipids
