Chapter 6: Plasma Membrane

I) Overview: Organization of the Cell

A) Surface
1) Plasma Membrane
2) Cell wall (prokaryotes & plants)
3) Flagellum or Cilium

B) Cytoplasm [w/w-out] Compartments

1) Cytosol aqueous; water with dissolved ions, small molecules, soluble
macromolecules
2) Compartments (eukaryotes) membrane-enclosed organelles

C) Other structures
1) Nucleoid (prokaryotes) region where DNA located
2) Ribosomes complexes of protein and RNA
3) Cytoskeleton not compartment; not membrane-bound; not an organelle
4) Centrioles and Spindle Apparatus move chromosomes during mitosis

D) Comparison: Prokaryotic vs Eukaryotic animal vs Plant

II) Plasma Membrane

also called plasmalemma or cytoplasmic membrane
allows cells (animal, plant) to have compartments
A) Unit Membrane = 3D piece/patch

1) Phospholipid Structure
Amphipathic
Spontaneous arrangement in aqueous environment

Hydrocarbon chains cis

Diffuse
Rarely flip-flop
Glycolipids

2) Steroid Structure
proper amt cholesterol/steroid keep membrane at certain fluidity
at 37oC, cholest. decr. P-lipid movement
at 37oC, cholest. inhibits P-lipid packing

Basic functional barrier arrangement, but.

Membranes have more than just barrier function
3) Proteins [Membrane Proteins]
makes membranes different from one another (components; cells)
2 major types:

glycoproteins

 Fluid Mosaic Model

B) Plasma Membrane and Cell Recognition, Cell Adhesion

made possible by membrane proteins/glycoproteins
allow formation of multicellular organisms via tissue and organ formation

1) Cell-Cell Recognition

2) Cell-Cell Adhesion
-- junctions via:

-- Ex: Epithelial tissue

3) Cell-Matrix Adhesion
-- cells bind to extracellular matrix (collagen & proteoglycans)
-- important for integrity of tissues

III) Permeability of Membrane -- movement across/thru

Selectively Permeable
(differentially permeable)
b/c Fluid Mosaic
What gets through?

Crossing membrane can be

A) Diffusion
-- random movement of particles causing them to distribute evenly in space

B) Passive Movement
-- diffusion through selectively permeable membrane

1) Dialysis
-- allows separation of different solutes (e.g. based on size MWCO;

Soln A

based on solubility hydrophobic?)

Soln B

2) Osmosis
-- works off water/solvent gradient

Soln A

Soln B

Osmotic Pressure (OP)

-- by definition, pure water has OP = 0

Solute + H2O

Soln A

Soln B

OP > 0

OP = 0

H2O only

Molarity / Solute Drag

Solute + H2O

Soln A

0.5 M

Soln B

0.2 M

Solute + H2O

Tonicity
-- refers to soln ability to affect the tone/shape of cell by influencing water
movement through plasma membrane
-- terms used only when comparing solutions:

C) Facilitated Diffusion via Channel Proteins

-- passive movement aided by channel proteins
integral membrane protein has pore
open vs closed depends on conds

still need concentration gradient

Water can cross biological membranes unassisted

Aquaporins

D) Facilitated Diffusion via Carrier Proteins

-- integral membrane proteins must bind transported cargo molecule

Transport Maximum (Tm)

IV) Active Transport Across Biological Membrane

A) Pump

Ex: Primary Active Transport: Na+-K+ Pump

Ex: Secondary Active Transport: Na+-Glucose cotransport

-- works off gradient established by Primary Active pump

Drugs and toxins can target transporters

V) Large Molecule Transport (active mechanisms)

A) Endocytosis

B) Exocytosis