III.

Biological Membranes

Brenda Leady
Fall 2005
 A cell can be divided into
Plasma membrane
A.k.a. cytoplasmic membrane/ cell membrane
Cytoplasm
nucleus
 Plasma membrane
Separates inside from outside
Intracellular fluid
ICF ECF
Inside cells
Extracellular fluid
ECF ICF
Outside cells
Fig 3.2
 Fluid Mosaic Model
Thin lipid bilayer with proteins
Constantly changing = mosaic
Phospholipids (most), cholesterol and
glycolipids
Fig 3.3
 Phosopholipid
Polar head is
hydrophilic
Nonpolar tail is
hydrophobic
Self orienting and self
assembling
Assemble with heads
out and tails in
 Surfaces differ
Differ in kinds and amounts of lipids
Integral membrane proteins
Embedded in membrane
Most transmembrane
Transport (channels, carriers), receptors
Peripheral Membrane Protein
Attached only loosely
Easily dislodged
May function in cell structure, enzyme or movement
Fig 3.4
 Membrane Transport
Interstitial fluid
ECF derived from blood
Bathes cells
Constant traffic between cell and interstitial
fluid
Membrane is selectively/ differentially
permeable
Lets some things in or out but not others
 Active/ Passive
Passive processes
Substances cross membrane without energy
input from the cell
Active processes
Require cell to use ATP to move substances
 Passive Processes
Diffusion
Filtration
 Diffusion
Important in every cell
Tendency for molecules or ions to scatter
evenly throughout the environment
All molecules are in constant motion
bumping into each other
Move from areas of higher concentration
to areas of lower concentration
Along or down a concentration gradient
Fig 3.6
 Why do substances move?
They are being hit by solvent molecules
Like balls on a pool table
 Speed influenced by
Concentration difference
Greater difference = faster diffusion
Size of molecule
Smaller molecules diffuse faster
Temperature
Warmer temperatures make diffusion go
faster
 Eventually
Concentrations equal out and NET
diffusion stops
Molecules are in constant motion and so
movement NEVER stops
 Plasma membranes allow
molecules to pass if

Lipid soluble
Small enough to pass through membrane
channels
Assisted by carrier molecules
 Types of diffusion
Simple
Facilitated
Osmosis
Fig 3.7
 Simple Diffusion
Unassisted diffusion of very small or lipid
soluble substances
Oxygen, carbon dioxide, fat soluble
vitamins, alcohol
Fig 3.7
 Facilitated Diffusion
Passive transport process using carriers
or water-filled channels
Glucose, other sugars, amino acids, and
ions
 Carrier
Transmembrane intergral protein with
specificity for certain large substances
(sugars and amino acids for example)
Envelopes and releases substances to
other side
Limited by number of carriers available
Fig 3.7
 Channel
Transmembrane protein that transports
water or ions
Some always open, other not
Also limited by number available
Fig 3.7
 Osmosis
Diffusion of water through a
semipermeable membrane
Crosses membrane on its own or through
channels
Aquaporins
Occurs when water concentration differs
on 2 sides of a membrane
 If water concentration is equal, no net
movement

membrane
 If solute concentration different, water
concentration is different
If one side has more water, it moves to the
other side with less
Solute follows its concentration gradient
Direction of salt movement

10% salt membrane 80% salt

90% water 20% water

Direction of water movement

Fig 3.8
 However
If membrane is not permeable to solute,
Water moves but NOT the solute
Volume changes on one side
osmosis
 Tonicity
Ability of a solution to change the shape or
tone of cells by altering internal water
volume
 Isotonic- same tonicity
Cell does not shrink or swell
0.9% saline
Hypertonic
Solution more concentrated
Cell shrinks due to water loss
Crenate
Hypotonic
Solution less concentrated than cell
Cells swell due to water gain
Swell and pop (lyse)
Hyper- and hypo- can also refer to the relationship of the
solution to the cell
You have to be told if you are referring to the cell or the solution
Fig 3.9
A report in the 23 April 1998 issue of The New England Journal of
Medicine tells of the life-threatening complications that can be caused
by an ignorance of osmosis.
Large volumes of a solution of 5% human albumin are injected into
people undergoing a procedure called plasmapheresis.
Plasma is removed from blood and replacement fluid and blood
cells returned to person (treatment for autoimmune diseases)
The albumin is dissolved in physiological saline (0.9% NaCl) and is
therefore isotonic to human plasma (the large protein molecules of
albumin have only a small osmotic effect).
If 5% solutions are unavailable, pharmacists may substitute a proper
dilution of a 25% albumin solution. Mixing 1 part of the 25%
solution with 4 parts of diluent results in the correct 5% solution of
albumin.
BUT, in several cases, the diluent used was sterile water, not
physiological saline.
SO, the resulting solution was strongly hypotonic to human plasma.
The Result: massive, life-threatening hemolysis in the patients.
 Filtration
Generally only across capillary walls
Forces water and solutes through a
capillary wall using pressure
Passive process based on a PRESSURE
gradient
Higher pressure to lower pressure
Well see this again later
 Active Processes
Active transport
Vesicular transport
 Active processes
Must use ATP to move the substances
Unable to pass using passive means
Too large, not lipid soluble, against
gradient
 Active transport
Requires carrier proteins to move against/
up a concentration gradient
From where there is less to where there is
more
Transports only specific substances
Fig 3.10
 Vesicular Transport
Large particles, macromolecules and
fluids
Exocytosis- moving stuff out of cell
Endocytosis- moving stuff into cell
Phagocytosis- cell eats debris or invaders
Forms phagosome, fuses with lysososme for
digestion
Transcytosis- in one side and out the other
 Fig 3.12

Exocytosis
Exocytosis Endocytosis
Phagocytosis
Absorption of Digested Food
Figure 23.21
 Absorption of Digested Food
Carbohydrates
Broken down into monosaccharides
Facilitated diffusion or active transport
Proteins
Broken down into amino acids
Facilitated diffusion or active transport
 Lipids
Triglycerides broken down into monoglycerides and
fatty acids
Associate with bile slats to form micelles
Move to epithelial surface and use simple diffusion
into cell
Without micelles, float on watery chyme and never contact
cells
Inside cells, remade into triglycerides and coated with
proteins to form chylomicron
Processed by Golgi for export outside cell
A few free fatty acids enter blood but chylomicrons
enter lacteal (lymph capillary)
Eventually lymph dumps into blood
Chylomicrons broken down to free fatty acids and
glycerol that can enter body cells
 Nucleic acids
Broken down into pentose sugars,
nitrogenous bases and phosphate ions
Active transport into cells and into blood
Membrane
Review
Questions
What type of transport does require
the cell to spend ATP?

1. Diffusion
2. Osmosis
3. active transport
4. facilitated diffusion
 I add sodium chloride to a
beaker of water
What is the solute? SALT
The solvent? Water
 Diffusion is
1. Substances travel down a concentration gradient
2. Solvent travels down a concentration gradient
3. Substances travel up a concentration gradient
4. Solvent travels up a concentration gradient
 Osmosis is movement of the
solvent across a membrane
(2 are correct)
1. From an area with more solvent to an
area with less solvent
2. From an area with less solvent to an
area with more solvent
3. From an area with more solute to an
area with less solute
4. From an area with less solute to an area
with more solute
 A C E
B D F

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

In figures 1, 2 and 3, is the cell hypertonic,

hypotonic or isotonic to the solution?
Figure 1 hypertonic
Figure 2 hypotonic
Figure 3 isotonic
 A C E
B D F

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

In figures 1, 2 and 3, is the solution

hypertonic, hypotonic or isotonic to the
cell?
Figure 1 hypotonic
Figure 2 hypertonic
Figure 3 isotonic
 A C E
B D F

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

In each figure, which arrow depicts how

the solute will move (the dots)?
Figure 1 A
Figure 2 D
Figure 3 both
 A C E
B D F

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

In each figure, which arrow depicts how

the solvent will move?
Figure 1 B
Figure 2 C
Figure 3 both
 A C E
B D F

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

In each figure, which arrow depicts the

direction of osmosis?
Figure 1 B
Figure 2 C
Figure 3 both
 A C E
B D F

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

In each figure, which arrow depicts the

direction of diffusion?
Figure 1 A
Figure 2 D
Figure 3 both
 A C E
B D F

10% salt 7% glucose 6% albumin

Figure 1 5% salt Figure 2 15% glucose Figure 3 6% albumin

In each figure, which arrow depicts the

direction of diffusion?
Figure 1 A
Figure 2 D
Figure 3 both
 A
B

10% salt

Figure 1 5% salt

What would make diffusion go FASTER?

Temperature- warmer or colder?
Concentration- 8%(lower) or 20%(higher)
Molecule size- larger or smaller