1.

3 Membrane structure

Membrane Structure

Phospholipid bilayers
Phospholipids form bilayers in water due to the amphipathic properties of phospholipid
molecules.

- hydrophilic + hydrophobic => amphipathic

- phospholipid bilayers
• when mixed w/ H2O, heads attracted to
H2O; tails attracted to each other

• arranged into double layers b/c of this

• stable structures that form the basis of all
cell membranes

Models of membrane structure

Using models as representations of the real world: there are alternative models of membrane
structure.

- Gorter+Grendel(1920s)
• extracted phospholipids from plasma membrane of red blood c
• calculated that the phospholipids occupied when arranged in a monolayer was twice as large
as the A of plasma membrane

• deduced - membrane contained a bilayer f phospholipids

• there were several errors, but all cancelled each other out

- Davson+Danielli model(1930s)

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• proposed layers of protein adjacent to the phospholipid bilayer, on both sides of
membrane(sandwich)

• thought would explain why membranes are strong barriers

• 1950s - high mag electron microscopes - showed two dark lines w/ a lighter band b/t
• proteins appear dark in e- microscopes - fitted the D-D model

- Singer+Nicolson: fluid mosaic model(1966)

• proteins occupy a variety of positions in the membrane - likened to the tiles in a mosaic
• phospholipid + proteins are free to move in each of the 2 layers of the bilayer

Problems with the Davson-Danielli model

Falsification of theories with one theory being superseded by another: evidence falsified the
model.
- Freeze-etched electron micrographs
• rapid freezing of c, then fracturing them
• fracture occurs along lines of weakness, incl. the centre
of membranes

• globular structures scattered through freeze-etched

images of the centre of membranes were interpreted
as transmembrane proteins

- structure of membrane proteins

• improvements in biochemical techniques - protein extracted from membranes
• proteins found to be very varied in size + globular in shape
• unlike the type of structural protein that would form continuous layers
• were hydrophobic on at least part of their surface - would be attracted phospholipid tails in
the centre of the membrane

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- fluorescent antibody tagging
• red/green fluo markers attached to antibodies that bind to membrane proteins
• membrane proteins of some c tagged red, other green
• cells were fused together
• red+green markers mixed throughout the membrane of fused cell w/in 40 min
• showed membrane proteins are free to move

Evidence for and against the Davson-Danielli model of membrane structure

Analysis of evidence from electron microscopy that led to the proposal of the Davson-Danielli
model.

Membrane proteins
Membrane proteins are diverse in terms of structure, position in the membrane and function.
- functions
• hormone binding sites
• immobilized enzymes w/ the active site on the outside (small intestine)
• intercellular adhesion
• cell-to-cell communication (neurotransmitters)
• channels for passive transport for hydrophilic/charged molecules
• pumps for active transport

- types
• integral
- trans-membrane and have a hydrophobic part
- generally project through the phosphate heads on each side.
- imbedded in the hydrocarbon chains
• peripheral

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- generally hydrophilic
- embedded on the surface of the integral protein
- sometimes have a hydrocarbon chain that anchors them onto the membrane surface
• more protein content => more active membranes

Drawing membrane structure

Draw the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure.

Cholesterol in membranes
Cholesterol is a component of animal cell membranes.

- a type of lipid - steroids

- mostly hydrophobic but has a hydroxyl group on one end that is partly hydrophilic - resultantly
it is situated in between the bilayer
- amount of cholesterol in membranes varies

The role of cholesterol in membranes

Cholesterol in mammalian membranes reduces membrane fluidity and permeability to some
solutes.
- phosphate heads usually behave like solids; hydrocarbon tails usually behave like liquids

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- c: too fluid => less able to control what pass through; not fluid enough => c + substances
movement would be restricted
- cholesterol regulates the extent to which the membrane bilayer is solid/liquid and also controls
the permeability of it

- due to its irregular placement within the bilayer it disrupts the arrangement of the
hydrophobic tails and prevents them from crystallizing

- also restricts molecular motion to prevent the bilayer from being overly permeable and
provides rigidity to its structure.

• permeability reduction to hydrophilic particles such as hydrogen ions and sodium ions
- help membranes to curve into a concave shape - helps in the formation of vesicles during
endocytosis

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