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2.3 Transport across membranes

Cell membranes
membranes include those that surround the organelles and the cell surface membrane
the cell surface membrane (outer cell membrane) forms the boundary of the cell where
anything that leaves or enters must pass through it
all membranes act as barriers to control what passes / allowing fluids on both sides to
have different compositions
this makes it possible to have right conditions for a particular reaction in one part of a cell
and different conditions elsewhere
membranes carry out chemical processes take place on membrane surface
the cell surface membrane must also be flexible to allow the cell to change shape
chemical secretions made by the cell are contained in membrane storage called vesicles

Membrane structure
made mainly of lipids and proteins arranged in a specific way
lipids polar lipids one end joined to a polar group many are phospholipids
phosphate group forming the polar part
fatty acid chains of a phospholipid are neutral and insoluble in water
the phosphate head carries a negative charge and is soluble in water
when the phospholipids contact the water two parts behave differently
polar phosphate is hydrophilic dissolves readily in water
lipids tails are hydrophobic insoluble in water
molecules tightly packed in water form monolayer hydrophilic heads in water, tails in
the air
micelles hydrophilic heads point outwards and all the hydrophobic tails are hidden inside
water on both sides phospholipid form a bilayer with the hydrophilic with the
hydrophilic heads pointing into the water while the hydrophobic tails are protected in the
middle.
such structure is named the unit membrane and it is the basis of all membranes

Membrane proteins
bilayer of lipid as a fluid system many proteins / other molecules floating within it
proportion of phospholipids containing unsaturated fatty acids in the bilayer seems to
affect how freely the moving proteins float about in the membrane
many have a hydrophobic part in the lipid bilayer + hydrophilic part to carry out other
processes
membrane functions mainly help substances cross membrane
form pores / channels permanent/temporary allow specific molecules to move
through
some are gated channels open/shut depending on conditions in cell
some are active carrier system- use energy to move molecules
others are gaps in the lipid bilayer that allow ionic substances through the membrane in
either direction
they can act as specific receptor molecules / may be enzymes (internal cell membrane) to
control reactions linked to that membrane / glycoproteins proteins + carbohydrate allow
cells to recognise each other floating proteins in lipid fluid mosaic model.

Adam Clarke www.brain-freeze.co.uk

Fluid mosaic model

Developed by S.J. Singer and Garth Nicolson in 1972 to describe the structure of cell
membranes.
The membrane is described as fluid because of its hydrophobic components such as lipids /
membrane proteins that move sideways through the membrane this means that the
membrane is not solid but more fluid.
It is described as mosaic where it consists of multiple macromolecules e.g. proteins,
glycoproteins, phospholipids, glycolipids, lipoproteins and sometimes cholesterol.
The model describes the membrane as a lipid bilayer (where protein is spread around it) and
it is as such because of the phospholipid component that can fold over to produce a double
layer when it is placed in water or a similar polar surrounding. Such feature is significant for
the membranes features of cellular transport and recognition of cells.

Adam Clarke www.brain-freeze.co.uk