Unit 2a: Cells and Tissues Flashcards
List and describe the general functions of the Cell membrane
i. Acts as a physical barrier separating the ECF from the
ICF.
ii. Regulates exchange of molecules between the ECF
and ICF.
- Semipermeable (or selectively permeable)
membrane controls what molecules (solutes) can
move into or out of the cell.
iii. Communication between cell and environment
–receptors on outer surface of membrane detect and
respond to signals (chemical and physical) in the
environment (e.g. levels of regulated variables – like
temperature, ion concentration, CO2, etc.; some
hormones, neurotransmitters, etc).
iv. Structural support for the cell
– cytoskeleton attaches
to membrane proteins and gives cell shape. Some
have protein junctions that help connect the
membranes of adjacent cells
What is the cell membrane composed of?
Composed mostly of lipids and
proteins
Ratio of lipids & proteins
varies with more metabolically
active structures/cells having more
protein in their membranes
Describe why the membrane is called a Fluid Mosaic Model
proteins appear
floating around in a sea of lipids
(like boats in a harbour). Fluid
because the proteins/lipids can
move two dimensionally within the
membrane (i.e. they are not fixed
in space)
List the parts of a cell membrane
- phospholipid bilayer
- cholesterol
3.sphingolipids - membrane proteins
describe the role of the phospholipid bilayer
- Creates hydrophobic barrier between ECF and ICF
- Phosphate heads (polar & hydrophilic) orient
towards ECF or ICF; fatty acid tails (non-polar &
hydrophobic) orient towards each other and form the
hydrophobic barrier - 3 main types of phospholipids in the membrane. They
differ in their R group and the degree of saturation of their
fatty acids, and are asymmetrically distributed between the
outer and inner parts of the bilayer. Asymmetric
distribution provides mechanical stability to the membrane
List the main types of phospholipids
- Phosphatidylethanolamine – inner layer
2) Phosphatidylserine – inner layer, -ve charged head.
3) Phosphatidylcholine – mostly outer laye
: Which phospholipid
is most abundant in the
membrane?
Phosphatidylcholine
describe the role of Cholesterol in a cell membrane
Located between fatty acid chains of adjacent
phospholipids
- Slows diffusion of molecules across membrane; can
block small water soluble molecules. - Determines membrane fluidity
- Prevents membranes from becoming too rigid at cold
temperatures or too fluid at high temperatures by
interfering with movement of fatty acid chains. - Keeps fatty acids together at high temps, (prevents
bilayer from breaking apart) and keeps them apart at
low temps (prevents bilayer from freezing).
Describe the role of Sphingolipids in the membrane
Ø E.g. sphingomyelin
Ø Have longer fatty acid tails than phospholipids.
Ø Form lipid rafts
lipid rafts
aggregation of sphingolipids
with a higher density of cholesterol than other
areas of the membrane.
- Some membrane proteins can only be found in
lipid rafts, for example some G-protein coupled
receptors (common receptor for detecting
peptide or protein neurotransmitters, and
hormones, as well as odours, light, etc.). - Studies have associated lipid rafts with
numerous diseases including Alzheimer’s,
Parkinson’s, and recently COVID-19
List the types of membrane proteins
- integral; lipid anchored and transmembrane
- peripheral
Integral Proteins
Permanently attached to cell membrane
Transmembrane Proteins
- type of integral membrane protein
- Cross the entire membrane.
- Have one (bitopic) or more (polytopic)
membrane spanning regions.
-The protein’s non-polar (hydrophobic)
regions (made up of 20-25 non-polar amino
acids) are embedded in the hydrophobic
regions of the phospholipid bilayer.
- The polar (hydrophilic) regions interact with
either the ECF or ICF
Lipid-Anchored Proteins
Ø Monotopic = permanently attached to one
surface of the membrane (i.e. do not cross
entire membrane)
Ø Many are attached to lipid portion of
phospholipid bilayer by covalent bonds.
Peripheral proteins
Attached to integral proteins or to polar heads of
phospholipids by non-covalent interactions
(weaker bonds and therefore not permanent)
Membrane carbohydrates
Ø Found only on membrane surface
facing the ECF
Ø Attached to lipids (forming glycolipids)
or to proteins (forming glycoproteins
glycocalyx
- formed from membrane carbs
- protective layer around cell
cytoplasm
spans area between the cell membrane and the nucleus
List the components of the cytoplasm of a typical cell
- cytosol
- membranous organelles
- inclusions
- protein fibres
Cytosol
intracellular fluid made of of
H2O, dissolved (soluble) nutrients, proteins,
ions and waste products
Membranous organelles
compartments
in cell separated from the cytosol by a
phospholipid membrane
Inclusion
insoluble material in direct
contact with the cytosol
Protein fibers
involved in structural
support for the cell and/or movement
List the membranous organelles
- mitochondria
- ER
- Golgi apparatus
- lysosomes
- peroxisomes
Mitochondria
double membrane; site of most ATP
synthesis
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
- network of membranous tubes connected to nuclear membrane.
Two types: - rough and smooth
Rough ER
covered in ribosomes, so involved in
protein synthesis and in transporting and
modifying proteins assembled by the ribosomes
Smooth ER
– no ribosomes; synthesizes lipids (e.g.
phospholipids for membranes; fatty acids;
steroids; sebum in skin oil gland cells, etc
Golgi apparatus
– stacks of membranous tubes
(cisternae) that modifies proteins and packages them
into vesicles for delivery to different areas (e.g. to the
cell membrane, to the outside of the cell, to other
membranous organelles, etc)
Peroxisomes
contain enzymes that breakdown fatty
acids and amino acids
Lysosomes
contain digestive enzymes that breakdown
worn out cell parts and can be used by some cells to
destroy viruses and bacteria
- Can also trigger apoptosis
(programmed cell death) if the cell is damaged - like the digestive system of the cell
Nucleus
Control center of cell
- nuclear envelope
- nucleolus
- Contains chromatin (DNA + histone proteins)
Nuclear envelope
double membrane with nuclear
pores (allow molecules to be passed back and forth
between cytosol/rough ER and inside of nucleus (e.g.
messenger RNA)
Nucleolus
dense region of DNA and RNA in nucleus
responsible for synthesis of ribosomal RNA units that
become the ribosome
List the inclusions
ribosomes
glycogen granules
lipid droplets
pigment proteins
Ribosomes
protein subunits that synthesize
proteins (translation).
Can be:
fixed or free (can alternate between the 2)
Fixed ribosomes
e.g. attached to ER (proteins made here
will go to the Golgi apparatus and be packed
into vesicles that will deliver them to the ECF,
to the cell membrane or to lysosomes)
Free ribsomes
– suspended in cytosol (proteins made
here destined for cytosol or mitochondria, or
persoxisomes