The Cell Membrane

Question 1

Phospholipid

Answer 1

a type of lipid molecule that forms the cell membrane, consisting of a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and two hydrophobic (water-fearing) tails, which spontaneously arrange into a bilayer

Question 2

Lipid Bilayer

Answer 2

a thin, double-layered membrane composed of lipid molecules that forms a barrier around cells and organelles, separating the inside from the outside and regulating the movement of substances

Question 3

Diffusion

Answer 3

the free passage of molecules (ions or atoms) from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration

Question 4

Peripheral Protein

Answer 4

Peripheral proteins attach to the membrane but are not embedded in it, and it helps with support, communication, and molecule transfer in the cell

Question 5

Integral Protein

Answer 5

Integral proteins are permanently embedded within the cell membrane that facilitates the movement of molecules across them and the transduction of energy and signals

Question 6

Osmosis

Answer 6

the diffusion of water molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration

happens across a partially permeable membrane and balances the matierial

Question 7

Aquaporin

Answer 7

integral proteins – channels for water molecules, allowing them to move rapidly through the cell membrane

crucial for the function of the kidney

Question 8

Facilitated Diffusion

Answer 8

the movement of particles from higher to lower concentrations through integral proteins

movement is passive and does not require ATP

Question 9

Channel Protein

Answer 9

integral membrane proteins that act as pores or channels through the cell membrane, facilitating the transport of specific ions, molecules, or water across the membrane

Question 10

Active Transport

Answer 10

movement of particles from lower to higher concentrations, using energy from ATP

highly selective and happens through carrier proteins

Question 11

Pump Proteins

Answer 11

proteins in the plasma membrane that use energy to actively carry ions and/or solutes against a concentration gradient

Question 12

Cholesterol

Answer 12

a type of fat found in all cells which is essential for building cell walls, making hormones, and digesting food

acts as a modulator of membrane fluidity (temperatures)

Question 13

Endocytosis

Answer 13

uptake into the cell

Question 14

Exocytosis

Answer 14

export out of the cell

Question 15

Neurotransmitter-gated ion channel

Answer 15

channel protein that temporarily opens when a specific neurotransmitter bonds with it, allowing ions to flow across the cell membrane and rapidly transmit signals

Question 16

Voltage gated channel

Answer 16

transmembrane proteins that open or close in response to changes in the electrical potential across a cell membrane, allowing the selective passage of ions and playing a crucial role in electrical signaling

Question 17

Indirect active transport

Answer 17

uses the downhill flow of an ion to pump some other molecule or ion against its gradient –> usually sodium (Na+) with its gradient established by the Na+/K+ ATPase

Question 18

Cell-adhesion molecule (CAM)

Answer 18

proteins that enable cells to attach to each other and to the extracellular matrix (ECM)

important for cell-cell junction which holds tissues and organs together

Question 19

Extracellular Matrix (ECM)

Answer 19

A large network of proteins and other molecules that surrounds and supports the cell and allows it to attach and communicate with others

secreted by the cell and surrounds it