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Biological Membranes

Biological membranes are complex structures made of lipids and proteins that perform many essential cell functions. They define cellular compartments, regulate passage of materials, participate in reactions, transmit signals, and facilitate energy transfer. The fluid mosaic model describes membranes as a fluid bilayer of phospholipids with an assortment of embedded and peripheral proteins. Membranes are selectively permeable due to passive diffusion of small molecules and active transport of larger molecules through integral membrane proteins. Cells communicate within and between each other via cell signaling and membrane junctions.

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Sheelendra Mangal Bhatt
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44 views44 pages

Biological Membranes

Biological membranes are complex structures made of lipids and proteins that perform many essential cell functions. They define cellular compartments, regulate passage of materials, participate in reactions, transmit signals, and facilitate energy transfer. The fluid mosaic model describes membranes as a fluid bilayer of phospholipids with an assortment of embedded and peripheral proteins. Membranes are selectively permeable due to passive diffusion of small molecules and active transport of larger molecules through integral membrane proteins. Cells communicate within and between each other via cell signaling and membrane junctions.

Uploaded by

Sheelendra Mangal Bhatt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Biological Membranes

 Biological membranes
 Complex, dynamic structures made of
lipid and protein molecules
 Perform many functions
 Define cell as a compartment
 Regulate passage of materials

 Participate in chemical reactions

 Transmit signals between cell interior


and the environment
 Act as part of energy transfer and
storage
 Biological membranes
 Physically separate cell interior from
extracellular environment
 Form compartments within eukaryotic
cells
 Plasma membrane
 Regulates passage of materials
 Participates in biochemical reactions

 Receives information about environment

 Communicates with other cells


 Fluid mosaic model
 Membranes consist of fluid
phospholipid bilayer with a mosaic
pattern of associated proteins
 Phospholipid molecules are
amphipathic and contain
 Hydrophobic regions which are
repelled by water
 Hydrophilic regions which are
attracted to water
Phospholipid molecules
 Since the cell is a very watery
environment, the heads of the
phospholipid molecules face toward
the cell.
 The fatty acid “tails” of the molecules

face inward toward the center of the


bilayer.
Phospholipids form bilayers in water

Phospholipids in water Detergent in water


Plasma membrane of mammalian red blood cell
 Membrane properties
 Orderly arrangement of phospholipid
molecules make the cell membrane a
liquid crystal
 Allow molecules to move rapidly
 Proteins move within membrane

 Lipid bilayers are


 Flexible

 Self-sealing

 Can fuse with other membranes


Detailed structure of the plasma membrane
Proteins are embedded in the
bilayer
 Integral membrane proteins
 Embedded in the bilayer
 Transmembrane proteins
 Integral proteins that extend completely
through the membrane
 Peripheral member proteins
 Associated with the surface of the bilayer
 Membrane proteins, lipids, and
carbohydrates
 Asymmetrically positioned to bilayer
 Sides have different composition
and structure
 Function of member proteins
 Transport of materials
 Acting as enzymes or receptors

 Cell recognition

 Structurally linking cells


Asymmetry of the plasma membrane
Functions of membrane proteins
 Membranes are selectively
permeable (only some materials
are allowed in and out)
 Physical processes
 Osmosis

 Diffusion

 Carrier-mediated processes
 Channel proteins
 Carrier proteins
Diffusion: the movement of molecules
from a region of higher concentration
to one of lower concentration.
Rate of diffusion depends on:
 Temperature (higher temperature, more
movement of molecules)
 Size of molecules (smaller molecules tend
to diffuse faster)
 Electrical charge (like charges repel and
opposites attract)
 Difference in concentration (concentration
gradient)
Some molecules easily diffuse
through the membrane
 Water

 Gases

 Small polar molecules


 Large, lipid soluble molecules
Osmosis
 The diffusion of water across a selectively
permeable membrane from a region
where there is a greater concentration of
water to a region where there is less
water.
 Osmotic pressure: the tendency of water
to move into a solution.
 Osmotic pressure
 Concentration of dissolved substances in
a solution
 Isotonic: equal solute concentration

 Hypertonic: solution has a greater


concentration of solutes than the cell,
loses water in plasmolysis
 Plasmolysis (collapse of a cell due to loss
of water.
 Hypotonic: solution has a lesser
concentration of solutes than the cell,
gains water and swells
Turgor pressure

 The internal hydrostatic


pressure usually present in
walled cells.
 Turgor pressure provides

structural support in plants


which do not have wood.
Movement of particles through
proteins
 If substances cannot pass through the
lipid bilayer, they may still move through
the membrane via protein channels.
 This may or may not require energy from
the cell.
 Passive transport: no energy expenditure
 Active transport: energy expended by the
cell.
 Facilitated
diffusion does not
require energy
 Occursdown a concentration
gradient
 Active transport requires energy
 Movesions or molecules against a
concentration gradient
 Cotransport requires energy
 ATP-powered pump maintains a
concentration gradient
Sodium-Potassium Pump
Sucrose proton cotransport
 Cells expend metabolic energy to carry
on physiological processes
 Exocytosis: large molecules leave
the cell through fusion with the
membrane
 Endocytosis: large molecules enter
the cell through fusion with the
membrane
Phagocytosis

Pinocytosis

Receptor-mediated endocytosis
Exocytosis
Phagocytosis
Phagocytosis is used by
macrophages to help defend the
body from bacteria
Amoebae feed using phagocytosis
Pinocytosis
Receptor-mediated endocytosis
 Cellscommunicate by cell
signaling
 Signaling molecules include
 Neurotransmitters

 Hormones

 Regulatory molecules
 Cell signaling involves
 Synthesis and release of signaling molecule
 Transport to target cells
 Reception by target cells involving special surface
receptors where the signaling protein docks.
 Signal transduction cells convert an extracellular into
an intracellular one.
 Response by the cell: interior of the membrane
protein undergoes a change in conformation, which
activates proteins in the cytoplasm—often in a chain
reaction.
 Termination of signal
Signal
transduction
 Cellsin close contact often develop
intercellular junctions
 Anchoring junctions connect epithelial
cells
 Desmosomes composed of filaments
which hold cells subject to mechanical
stresses together (in animal cells)
 Adhering junctions cement cells together
with proteins
 Tightjunctions seal off intercellular
spaces in some animal cells. Seals are
protein links.
Gap junctions: permit transfer of
small molecules and ions. These
contain pores that connect cells.
Allow rapid chemical and
electrical communication between
cells.
Plasmodesmata: allow movement
of certain molecules and ions
between plant cells. Plasma
membranes are continuous
Desmosomes
Tight
junctions
Gap junctions
Plasmodesmata

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