MCB 2210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Sphingomyelin, Hydrophile, Amine
8 Sep 2016
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Document Summary
Key difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells is in the elaboration of internal membranes. Membranes define organelles: each membrane-bound compartment in a eukaryotic cell has its own unique set of soluble proteins, each has its own set of unique membrane proteins. Cellular functions of membranes: membranes: fluid lipid bilayers studded with proteins and often contain areas of differing composition called rafts that float inside, separate one compartment from another. Membranes are selectively permeable barriers across which solutes are transported: provide a scaffold for biochemical activities. Example is energy transduction in mitochondria and chloroplasts: mediate cell to cell interactions, key element of signal transduction pathways. Primary components of biological membranes: lipids. These form the membrane bilayer itself: cholesterol. Associated with the bilayer or inserted into it to add function. Classes of membrane lipids: are all amphipathic molecules (hydrophilic and hydrophobic end, phospholipids. All have phosphate linkage to head group and 2 fatty acid chain tails .
