BSC 300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Lipid Bilayer, Membrane Fluidity, Lipid-Anchored Protein
12 Apr 2016
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Bsc 300 lecture 6- membrane structure and function. Plasma membrane- the outer boundary of the cell that separates it from the world is a thin, fragile structure about 5-10 nm thick. All membranes (plasma, nuclear or cytoplasmic) from plants, animals, or microorganisms have the same basic ultrastructure. Cell membrane- semi-permeable barrier that contains the cell cytoplasm. Controls movement of substances in & out of the cell. All cells have a cell membrane; not all cells have a cell wall. Compartmentalization- membranes form continuous sheets that enclose intracellular compartments. Scaffold for biochemical activities- membranes provide a framework that organizes enzymes for effective interaction. Selectively permeable barrier- membranes allow regulated exchange of substances between compartments. Transporting solutes- membrane proteins facilitate the movement of substances between compartments. Responding to external signals- membrane receptors transduce signals from outside the cell in response to specific ligands. Intracellular interaction- membranes mediate recognition and interaction between adjacent cells.
