Outline

• Introduction to the cell

Cell Structure: • Plasma membrane: fluid mosaic model
The plasma membrane • Transport across the membrane
– Passive processes
10/2/09 – Active processes
• Transmembrane potential

Introduction to the cell: Introduction to the cell:

Number and variety of cells 3 main parts of a generalized cell
1. Plasma membrane - inside from outside
Nerve cell 2. Cytoplasm – intercellular fluid, organelles
Cheek cell (epithelial)
3. Nucleus – control center
Nucleus
Sperm Plasma
Red blood cells
membrane
• Structure and function Cytoplasm
• 50-150 trillion cells in the body
• 200 or more different types of cells
• 2 micrometers to 1 meter Figure 3.2

Plasma Membrane:
Plasma Membrane:
Fluid Mosaic Model
Fluid Mosaic Model Extracellular fluid
(watery environment)
Extracellular fluid
(watery environment) Membrane proteins: Cholesterol
Phospholipid bilayer
Glycolipid
– Hydrophillic head • Peripheral Glycoprotein

– Hydrophobic tail – Function: attach cells glycocalyx

together, support
– Fluid
• Integral
(transmembrane)
Function: protective – Function: transport Integral
barrier separating • Glycoproteins proteins
extracellular and (Glycocalyx) Peripheral
intracellular fluid proteins
– Function: identity Filament of
Cytoplasm Cytoplasm
(watery environment) marker (watery environment) cytoskeleton
Figure 3.3
Figure 3.3

1
 Transport across the membrane Passive Process
• Diffusion: the movement of molecules from an area of
• Selectively permeable: allowing some high concentration to an area of low concentration
substances to pass while excluding others (moving down the concentration gradient)
1. Simple 2. Facilitated
2 ways to cross the membrane: Lipid-insoluble solutes
Extracellular fluid
1. Passive: does not require energy Lipid- (ie. sugars or
Small solutes
soluble amino acids)
-diffusion and filtration solutes

2. Active: requires energy (ATP)

- active carriers and vesicles

Figure 3.7
Cytoplasm

Passive process Passive process

• Diffusion: the movement of molecules from an area of
high concentration to an area of low concentration
• Filtration: the movement of molecules through
(moving down the concentration gradient) a membrane by force
- depends on
3. Osmosis Molecules = solvent
1) force: fluid or hydrostatic pressure gradient
Water
(ie. water)
molecules 2) size of membrane

Lipid
billayer

Aquaporin

Figure 3.7

Active process Active process

1. Active transport: uses carrier proteins to move
• Requires energy in the forms of bonds in ATP molecules against their concentration gradient
to move molecules across the membrane
– Primary: uses ATP – Secondary: uses energy
directly indirectly that is stored in
concentration gradient
• Two types of active processes
1. Active transport ATP Na+
Na+ Na+ Extracellular fluid
Na+ Na+ Na+
Glucose
K+
2. Vesicular transport K+ K+
Na+
K+
K+ K+ K+ Na+-K+
K+
pump

antiporter symporter Figure 3.11

Cytoplasm

2
 Active process Active process
2. Vesicular transport: uses vesicles and ATP 2. Vesicular transport: uses vesicles and ATP
to transport large molecules and fluids to transport large molecules and fluids
across membrane across membrane
Exocytosis: moving OUT of the cell Endocytosis: moving INTO of the cell
Extracellular
fluid

vesicle
1 2
Vesicle

3 4 Phagocytosis: Pinocytosis: Receptor-

“eating” “drinking” mediated
Figure 3.14a Figure 3.13

Transmembrane potential Transmembrane potential

• Membrane keeps more + ions + out + out
-- +
Function: changing membrane -- +
outside the cell than inside -- Na+
potential activates muscle --
in -- + in -- +
• Resting membrane potential: and nerve cells
-70mV -70mV
difference in charge across the
membrane
• Electrical gradient Electrochemical
• Chemical gradient gradient
Nerve cell
Muscle cells

Summary
• The fluid mosaic models describes the structure
and function of the plasma membrane.
• Membrane transport can be passive or active.
• Transmembrane potential results from uneven
distribution of charges across the membrane.