Membranes in cells

Chapter 2.3

Objectives of unit:
Understand the structure and properties of the plasma membrane Investigate the properties of plasma membranes practically Explain passive transport mechanisms of diffusion and facilitative diffusion including the role of transporter and carrier proteins !efine the process of osmosis Explain the process of active transport and the role of proteins and "#$ Explain the processes of endocytosis and exocytosis !escribe the properties of gas exchange surfaces in living organisms Explain ho% the structure of the mammalian lung is adapted for rapid gaseous exchange

Cells have many membranes&

plasma membrane tonoplast outer mitochondrial membrane

inner mitochondrial membrane outer chloroplast membrane nuclear envelope

Membranes are flexible and able to brea' and fuse easily

(eutrophil engulfing anthrax bacteria.

Cover credit& Micrograph by )ol'er *rin'mann $+o, $athogens )ol. -.3/ (ov. 2001.

1 2m

Membranes allo% cellular compartments to have different conditions

p3 4.5 Contains digestive en6ymes optimum p3 4.1 7 4.5 lysosome Membrane acts as a barrier

p3 8.2 cytosol

Membranes are mainly made of phospholipids

phosphate group phosphoester bond glycerol ester bond fatty acid

hydrophilic head

hydrophobic tail

#he polar hydrophilic heads are %ater soluble and the hydrophobic heads are %ater insoluble
3ydrophobic .%ater7hating/ tail air

a9ueous solution

3ydrophilic .%ater7loving/ head $hospholipids form micelles %hen submerged in %ater

In -:21 ;orter and ;rendel proposed that the unit membrane is formed from a phospholipid bilayer
$hosphate heads face a9ueous solution phospholipid bilayer

Extracellular space .a9ueous/

Cytosoplasm .a9ueous/

3ydrophobic tails face in%ards

<uestion& Explain %hy phospholipids form a bilayer in plasma membranes .4/.

$hospholipids have a polar phosphate group %hich are hydrophilic and %ill face the a9ueous solutions #he fatty acid tails are non7polar and %ill move a%ay from an a9ueous environment "s both tissue fluid and cytoplasm is a9ueous phospholipids form t%o Clic' to reveal ans%ers layers %ith the hydrophobic tails facing in%ard and phosphate groups out%ards interacting %ith the a9ueous environment Clic' here to hide ans%ers

Initial studies sho%ed that the plasma membrane had layers&

,cientists also found that protein %ere present in membranes so !avson7!anielli proposed in -:31 the follo%ing model for membrane structure&

$rotein

$hospholipid bilayer

#he development and use of electron microscopes sho%ed that the !avson7!anielli model %as incorrect
In the early -:80s ,inger and (icholson used techni9ues such as free6e7etching to confirm the lipid bilayer. #hey also sho%ed that the proteins %ere distributed throughout the protein in a mosaic pattern. In addition they found that the membrane %as fluid and had considerable side%ays movement of molecules %ithin it. 3ence they proposed the =luid7Mosaic Model for $lasma Membrane ,tructure.

"ctivity&
>ead pages -00 ? -03 of your textboo' "ns%er 9uestions - ? 3 on page -03

#he fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane:

#he proteins can move freely through the lipid bilayer. #he ease %ith %hich they do this is dependent on the number of phospholipids %ith unsaturated fatty acids in the phospholipids.

=at7soluble organic molecules can diffuse through the bilayer but polar molecules re9uire proteins
=at7soluble molecules $olar molecules

Extracellular space

Cytosoplasm .a9ueous/
hydrophilic pore

<uestion 4& 3o% can polar and non7polar molecules pass through the membrane .2/.
$olar molecules re9uire proteins to enable them to pass through the membrane (on7polar molecules can diffuse directly through the phospholipid Clic' to reveal ans%er bilayer Clic' here to hide ans%ers

#he membrane contains many types of protein&

carbohydrate chain ;lycocalyx& =or cell recognition so cells group together to form tissues >eceptor& for recognition by hormones

glycoprotein

peripheral protein

En6yme or signalling protein

integral protein

carrier protein

hydrophilic channel

<uestion& +abel the diagram .--mar's/

3 2 8 -0 4 1 @
(ote& label the proteins based on location or structure e.g. you do not need to identify receptors and en6ymes.

: --

-/ carbohydrateA 2/ glycoproteinA 3/integral proteinA 4/ peripheral proteinA 1/ carrier protein @/ hydrophilic channelA 8/ Clic' phosphate groupA 5/ fatty acidA :/ phospholipidA to reveal ans%ers -0/ glycocalyxA --/ phospholipid bilayer clic' to cover ans%ers

<uestion& Explain %hy the model for membrane structure is 'no%n as the fluid mosaic model .3/.
#he phospholipid molecules can move freely laterally and ma'es the membrane fluid. #he proteins are distributed throughout the membrane un evenly and in a mosaic pattern. to reveal the ans%ers #he agreed structureClic' is based upon experimental and chemical evidence and so is classed as a model. Clic' here to hide ans%ers

<uestion& !escribe the structure and function of the glycocalyx .3/

Consists of glycoproteins Bhich are proteins %ith added carbohydrate chains Used for cell recognitionCreceptors Clic' to reveal ans%ers Clic' here to hide ans%ers

#here are different types of carrier proteins in the membrane&

"#$

Carrier protein .passive/

;ated7channel protein

Channel protein

Carrier protein .active/

Membrane bound proteins allo% chemical processes to occur on membranes in a se9uential manner&
membrane proteins
Cyt c

I
II

<

III

I)

En6yme and transporter proteins involved in aerobic respiration in the inner mitochondrial membrane

"#$ synthase

<uestion& Dther than as carrier proteins state t%o functions of membrane bound proteins .2/.
>eceptors En6ymes ,tructural .attached to microtubules/ Clic' to reveal ans%ers Clic' here to hide ans%ers

$ractical "ctivity& =actors affecting membrane permeability

,ee practical sheets

<uestion 3& !escribe an experiment by %hich you could test to see %hether alcohol concentration affected membrane permeability .1/.
,ame volume discs of beetroot ,ame volume of alcohol ,ame temperature ,ame time in alcohol >ange of alcohol concentrations Clic' to reveal ans%ers Use colourimeter to read amount of pigment in solution ;raph of colour intensity .E absorbance etc./ over alcohol concentration Clic' here to hide ans%ers

,ummary
#he unit membrane consists of a phospholipid bilayer $hospholipids consist of a polar hydrophilic phosphate head and a non7 polar hydrophobic tail consisting of fatty acid chains. $roteins also occur in the membrane and float freely throughout it. #he model for membrane structure is 'no%n as the fluid mosaic model. $eripheral proteins occur on the inner or outer face of the membrane and integral proteins extend through both lipid layers. Membrane bound en6ymes occur allo%ing structured metabolic path%ays. ;lycoproteins form the glycocalyx and allo% cell to cell recognition. >eceptor proteins can act as binding sites for hormones and other substances and can transmit the information to the interior of the cell. " variety of carrier proteins allo% for the controlled movement of substance through the membrane using both passive diffusion or active transport. (on7polar lipid soluble molecules diffuse through the phospholipid bilayer. Ionic polar molecules re9uire carrier proteins to enable them to pass through the membrane. Membrane structure loses integrity %ith high temperature or presence of organic solvents such as alcohol thereby increasing permeability.