Parts of a Cell Membrane

Phospholipids- Act as a barrier to most molecules. Glycoproteins and Glycoproteins- Involved in cell recognition and cell attachments. Integral Proteins- Transport molecules across the membrane or catalyse reactions. Cholesterol- Helps control membrane fluidity.

It's made of a phospholipid bilayer, in which proteins are. It's on the out side of every cell. A membrane structure seperates a cell from its external environment.

Membrane Structure- Fluid Mosaic Model.

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Cell Membranes use in Cell Signalling

Help cell to react to changes in the environment by picking up signals at the surface- they coordinate hormones and impulses. Let ions through channels into and out of the cells. The receptors in the cell react with G-proteins which activates an enzyme causing a reaction inside the cell. The third is a receptor- enzyme which is made up of 2 parts. The reactor cell slots its self between them and it becomes an enzyme forcing a chemical reaction.

Functions of a Cell Membrane

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Control what goes in and out of the cell. Separate compartments with in the cell. Important in cell signalling. Allow electrical signal to pass through. Provide attachments to enzymes and other molecules involved in metabolism. Provides support for cells. Allow recognition by other cells- Antigens.

Active Transport
Moves from a low to a high concentration. Carried out by transporter proteins in the plasma membranes. Active transport is used to change the shape of transporter proteins. It's used where we need Potassium and need less Sodium but it's going against the concentration gradient to take it in and out of our cells.

Diffusion
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Particles move from a high to a low concentration. Result of random movement. Substance has free moving particles , there movement will be down the concentration gradient. This is how particles move when they're being sprayed form an aerosol. Facilitated diffusion uses carrier proteins.

Endocytosis
Process of moving a substance into a cell through the cell membrane. Active process which requires energy. Puts out fingers of cytoplasm around the substance, creating a ring (vesticle.) Enzymes are sent out from the vacuole to digest the vesticle and then the substance is absorbed into the cytoplasm.

Osmosis
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Only water can be moved by osmosis. It must be across a partially permeable membrane. Moves from a High water potential to a Low water potential. Water moves in and out of a plant cell to make them turgid and give them support.

Water Potential
Water diluted in a solution can move more easily than water in a concentrated solution. Pure water has a water potential of 0kPa Therefore water in a solution has a negative water potential because it moves more freely. A dilute solution will be less negative (-100kPa) than a more concentrated solution (-300kPa) Hypotonic:- A high water potential (less negative) Isotonic:- Same water potential (0) Hypertonic:- A low water potential (more negative)

Exocytosis
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Substances produced with in the cell need to be released from cell. Opposite to Endocytosis. Vesticle surrounds what needs to be moved out cell. Once in the vesticle it moves up the microtubles. It then fuses with the with the plasma membrane and empties out of the cell.

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