Lecture: Plasma Membrane and Transport

I. Structure of the Plasma Membrane

A. plasma membrane - the surface encapsulating a cell
B. Fluid Mosaic Model
1. bilayer of phospholipids
a. hydrophilic heads - PO4- end "water" "loving"
attracted to water on inner/outer parts of cell
b. hydrophobic tails - fatty acids "water" "fearing"
attracted to each other on inside of bilayer
c. glycolipids - some carbohydrates attached to outer lipids
(involved in cell to cell recognition)
d. cholesterol - regulates fluidity of membrane
2. proteins interspersed throughout the membrane
a. functions of membrane proteins
i. receptors - hormones, neurotransmitters
ii. enzymes - reactions in & out of cell
iii. transport - ions and molecules
b. integral proteins - inserted into the bilayer
i. transmembrane - across entire bilayer
c. peripheral proteins - on inner & outer surface
d. glycoproteins - carbohydrates on outer surface
i. glycocalyx - outer carbohydrate coat
(cell recognition and identification)
3. plasma membrane is fluid: it can easily shift & flow
a. two layers can slide over one another
b. some proteins float freely throughout membrane
c. many proteins attached to cytoskeleton
i. allows for regional specialization

4. Features of Plasma Membrane

a. microvilli - fingerlike extensions of cell
i. found in kidney and intestine
ii. increases surface area for absorption
iii. actin filaments for support
b. tight junctions - cell-cell adhesion proteins
i. generally at surface of epithelium
ii. prevent passage between cells
iii. "seal" layer of cells into a sheet
c. desmosomes - anchor cells to cells & basement
I. carbohydrates of glycoprotein intermingle
ii. keratin filaments anchor to cytoplasm
iii. hemidesmosome - anchor to basement membrane

II. Plasma Membrane Transport

A. General Features
1. interstitial fluid - bathes all cells and tissues
a. released by capillaries into organs/tissues
b. recaptured by lymph vessels back to heart
c. contains salts, nutrients, hormones, etc.
2. selectively permeable - only certain things pass
a. passive transport - nature does the work
b. active transport - cell must use energy (ATP)

B. Passive Transport Processes (no cellular energy required)

LOW

1. diffusion - movement of particles from area of HIGH concentration to area of

concentration until equal
a. concentration gradient - difference in concentration between HIGH and LOW

areas
I. larger gradient - larger driving force
ii. faster = higher temperature or smaller particle

2. simple diffusion across the cell membrane

a. nonpolar molecules (oxygen, carbon dioxide, urea)
I. oxygen blood (high) --> cells (low)
ii. CO2
cells (high) --> blood (low)
iii. urea cells (high) --> blood (low)
b. fat soluble molecules (small fats and steroids)
c. protein channels - passage of charged & polar
I. Na+, K+, Cl- channels are very specific
can be opened or closed on command

3. osmosis - the movement of a solvent (such as WATER) from an area of LOW

solute
concentration (such as NaCl) to an area of HIGH solute
concentration
solution =

solvent
(dissolving liquid)

solute
(dissolved particles)

a. molarity - moles of solute / liters of solvent (moles/liter = Molar)

1. mole - grams of substance = mol. wt. substance
1
1
1
1

mole
mole
mole
mole

H = 1 gram H
C = 12 grams C
NaCl = 28 grams NaCl
C6H12O6 =180 grams C6H12O6

28 grams NaCl/1 liter water = 1 mole NaCl/liter = 1 Molar NaCl

(1M NaCl)

180 g Glucose/1 liter water = 1 mole glucose/liter = 1 Molar glucose

Glucose)
b. osmolarity - measure of concentration of particles in a solution
I. 1 molar Glucose = 1 osmol Glucose
ii. 1 molar NaCl = 2 osmol NaCl
WHY? in water NaCl dissociates --> Na+ + Cl(for each salt molecule their are 2 parts)

(1M

Movement Across Membrane Permeable to Water Only (not solutes)

Conditions

Water Movement

Terminology

osmo(in) = osmo(out)

no net movement

isotonic

osmo(in) > osmo(out)

water moves IN

inside is hypertonic

osmo(in) < osmo(out)

water moves OUT

inside is hypotonic

c. osmotic pressure - driving force generated by the concentration gradient

****
the larger

the larger the difference in concentrations between INSIDE and OUTSIDE,

the osmotic pressure (driving force is greater)

d. hydrostatic pressure - pressure of cell wall in plant cells that balances the
osmotic pressure,
preventing
more
water to enter the cell
e. observable implications of osmosis
i. crenate - water moves out and cell shrinks
ii. lyse - water moves in and cell bursts
f. clinical implications of osmosis
i. isotonic I.V. - Ringers (0.9% NaCl; 5% glucose)
ii. hyertonic I.V. - to treat edema (water excess)
iii. hypotonic I.V. - to treat dehydration
4. filtration - hydrostatic pressure > osmotic pressure
balloon)
a. WATER moves from LOWER osmo --> HIGHER osmo
5. facilitated diffusion - see-saw protein carries across
a. carrier protein - "open outside" <-> "open inside"
i. very specific for the molecule transported
ii. uses energy of natural diffusion (water-wheel)
iii. glucose carrier is typical

(Squeezing a leaky water

C. Active Transport Processes (energy of the cell required)

1. active transport - transport solutes against a concentration gradient (goes
against diffusion)
a. solute pumps - Na+, K+, Ca++, amino acids (relies on ATP energy source!)
i. rely on energy of ATP to overcome forces of nature
ii. uniport - one specific particle only
iii. coupled system - two particles together
symport - same direction
antiport - opposite directions
b. Na+-K+ ATPase Pump - creates ion concentration gradient for cell [Na +]out
HIGH;
[K+]in HIGH
i. ATP is used by this pump to move 3 Na + out of the cell and bring 2 K + into
the cell
ii. Na+ will want to move INTO cell; K + will want to move OUT of cell
2. bulk transport - cell membrane pouching process
a. exocytosis - cell vesicle moves to membrane with contents, merges, then
releases material
i.
extracellular
elastin, matrix)

hormone/neurotransmitter

release;

mucus

secretion; expulsion of
proteins
(collagen,

b. endocytosis - engulfment by cell membrane pouch which then buds off into
the cytoplasm
large mass

i. phagocytosis ("eat" "cell" "process") - plasma membrane raps around

(bacteria, dead cell, cell debris)
phagosome ----> lysosome (digestive enzymes)
macrophages - immune cells that engulf
ii. pinocytosis - "drink" "cell" "process"
iii. receptor-mediated endocytosis - receptors on the cell surface bind to
desired molecule before the engulfment
insulin, low density lipoproteins (LDL), and Fe ++ can be ligands for such

receptors

III. The Resting Membrane Potential (voltage across the

membrane)
A. voltage - energy that results from separation of charges (also called potential
difference - potential)
1. The Na+-K+ ATPase Pump creates concentration gradients for both Na + and K+
a. [Na+]out > [Na+]in
b. [K+]in > [K+]out
2. Results in NET flow of positive charge out of the cell

1 cycle = 3 Na+ out & 2 K+ in

3. Na+ Channels normally closed so that Na+ cannot easily move back into the cell.
4. K+ Channels normally slightly open so that K+ can slowly leak out
5. The net movement of Na + and leaking of K + to the outside of the cell causes a
POTENTIAL
DIFFERENCE (voltage) across the membrane.
6. resting membrane potentials for cells generally range: -20mV to -200mV
7. electrochemical gradient - charge & concentration
I. Na+: {elctro-IN; chemical-IN}
ii. K+: {chemical-OUT = electro-IN}

IV. Functions of Glycoproteins on Cell Membrane (Glycocalyx)

A. Determination of ABO Blood Types
1. Sugar moiety on glycoprotein of red blood cell (RBC)
a. signature for immune response of foreign blood
B. Binding of Dangerous Toxins
1. proteins of cholera and tetanus bind to cell by identifying specific carbohydrates
on proteins
C. Identification of Specific Cell Types
1. Sperm knows egg by specific glycoproteins
2. Cell-cell interaction during embryogenesis and tissue differentiation
3. Immune cells identifying foreign cells and material such as bacteria, viruses,

and cancer cells