Membrane Transport Flashcards
features of membrane
thin film of lipid and protein held by covalent attractions
lipid bilayer
5nm
impermeable barrier
fatty acids and lipids structure
long hydrocarbon with carboxyl one end and methyl other
free or covalent bonds to glycerol
phospholipid structure
typical bilayer
2 fatty acids covalently bonded to glycerol (1 unsaturated)
3rd hydroxyl group on glycerol bonded to phosphate
what is phosphate bonded to in a phospholipid
choline
ethanol amine
serine
amphipathic
hydrophobic head and hydrophilic tail
(fatty acid non polar uncharged, phosphate polar and charged)
thermodynamics and bilayers
polar dissolve = energetically favourable = more disordered / increased entropy
non polar opposite
formation on bilayer due to amphipathic nature
avoids water exposing the head causing a cage and energetically favourable (all spontaneously form sealed compartments)
why are bilayers dynamic
phospholipids can move laterally, flex and rotate
what regulates fluidity
low temp = phase transition = rigid and packed closer together
how is ridgity prevented
by cis double bonds and cholesterol
cis double bonds
causes a kink as double bind on same side so cant be rigid and is thinner
cholesterol
steroid ring region of cholesterol stiffens upper region of fatty acid chain = immobilised, less able to move laterally, less fluid
issue of too much cholesterol
prevent phospholipid compacting together and too rigid
what are lipid rafts
randomly distributed
van der Waals not string enough to hold molecules together
sphingolipids are long saturated getting closer together and attract forces strong enough to hold adjacent molecules
purpose of lipid rafts
independent monolayers can interact with each other in lipid rafts
proteins congregate here to prepare for transport