5.

1 Plasma Membrane Structure and Function

Separates internal cytoplasm from the external environment of

the cell.
As well as compartments within the cell itself.
Having separate spaces allows multiple, sometimes incompatible,
chemical processes to occur simultaneously.
Components of Plasma Membrane
Three components:

1. Phospholipid bilayer
2. Protein molecules
3. Cholesterol
1. Phospholipid bilayer
• Phospholipid is an amphipathic molecule, meaning that it has
both a hydrophilic (water-loving) region and a hydrophobic
(water-fearing) region.
• The amphipathic nature of phospholipids largely explains why
they form a bilayer in water.
• Because similar substances associate with one another, the
hydrophilic polar heads of the phospholipid molecules
naturally associate with the polar water molecules found on
the outside and inside of the cell.
• Likewise, the hydrophobic nonpolar tails associate with each
other because they want to “get away” from the polar water.
2. Proteins molecules
• Membrane proteins may be peripheral or integral.
o Peripheral proteins are found on the inner or outer membrane
surface.
o Integral proteins are partially or wholly embedded in the
membrane.

3. Cholesterol
• Affects the fluidity of the membrane.
Carbohydrate Chain
Phospholipids that have attached carbohydrate (sugar) chains
are called glycolipids.
Proteins that have attached carbohydrate (sugar) chains are
called glycoproteins.
These carbohydrate chains exist only on the outside of the
membrane making the membrane asymmetrical.
 Outside cell
Plasma membrane

Carbohydrate chain
extracellular
Matrix (ECM)

Hydrophobic tails Hydrophilic heads

phospholipid glycoprotein phospholipid
glycolipid bilayer

filaments of cytoskeleton

Inside cell
peripheral protein integral protein
cholesterol

Plasma Membrane of an Animal Cell

What makes one membrane different from another?

▪ The number and kinds of proteins can vary in the plasma

membrane and in the membranes of the various organelles.
▪ The carbohydrate (sugar) chains on a cell's exterior can be
highly diverse. The chains can vary in the number and
sequence of sugars, and in whether the chain is branched.
The Functions of the Proteins

❖ Channel proteins: are involved in passing molecules through

the membrane. They form a channel that allows a substance to
simply move from one side to the other.
❖ Carrier proteins: are also involved in passing molecules
through the membrane. They receive a substance and change
their shape, and this change serves to move the substance
across the membrane.
❖ Receptor proteins: have a shape that
allows only a specific molecule to bind
to it.

❖ Enzymatic proteins: Some plasma

membrane proteins are enzymes that
carry out metabolic reactions directly
Permeability of the Plasma Membrane
The plasma membrane is selectively permeable.

• Allowing only certain substances into the cell

while keeping others out.
5.2 Passive Transport Across a Membrane
❑ In passive diffusion, substances cross the membrane from an
area of high concentration to an area of low concentration (no
need for energy).

Diffusion
• Movement of solutes from an area of high concentration to an
area of low concentration.
Process of Diffusion

time time

crystal
dye

a. Crystal of dye is placed in water b. Diffusion of water and dye molecules c. Equal distribution of molecules results

15
• These molecules follow their concentration gradient as they
move from an area where their concentration is high, to an
area where their concentration is low.
Osmosis
• Special case of diffusion.
• Focuses on solvent (water) movement rather than solute.
• The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable
membrane from high to low concentration is called osmosis.
Osmosis

Isotonic solution

Hypotonic solution

Hypertonic
Isotonic solution
• The prefix iso means ‘’the same as’’.
• The solute concentration and the water concentration both
inside and outside the cell are equal, and therefore there is no
net gain or loss of water.
Hypotonic solution
• The prefix hypo means ‘’less than’’.
• Concentration of solute in the solution is lower than inside the
cell.
Hypertonic solution
• The prefix hyper means ‘’more than’’.
• Concentration of solute is higher in the solution than inside
the cell.
Facilitated Transport
• Movement of molecules that cannot pass directly through the
membrane lipids.
• These molecules must combine with carrier proteins to move
across the membrane.
• But after a carrier combines with a molecule, the carrier is
believed to undergo a conformational change in shape that moves
the molecule across the membrane.
• Follow concentration gradient, moving from high concentration
to low concentration (no energy needed).
 Facilitated Transport

Inside

plasma
membrane
carrier
protein

solute

Outside

▪ Note that the carrier protein undergoes a change in shape as it moves a solute
across the membrane.
5.3 Active Transport Across a Membrane
❑ In active processes, the cell must use energy to move
substances from area of low concentration to areas of high
concentration.

Facilitated Transport
• The movement of molecules against their concentration gradient.
• Movement from low to high concentration.
• Movement is facilitated by carrier proteins.
• Requires energy.
Bulk Transport
• Require energy.
• Macromolecules are transported into or out of the cell inside
vesicles via bulk transport.
• These molecules are too large to be transported by carrier
proteins, so they are instead transported into and out of the cell
by vesicles.

1) Exocytosis.
2) Endocytosis.
1) Exocytosis
✓ Vesicles fuse with plasma membrane and secrete contents.
✓ The Golgi body often produces the vesicles that carry these cell
products to the membrane.
2) Endocytosis
✓ Cells take in substances by forming vesicles around the material.
✓ Endocytosis occurs in one of three ways:

➢ Phagocytosis
➢ Pinocytosis
➢ Receptor-mediated endocytosis
➢ Phagocytosis

• When the material taken in by endocytosis is large, such as a

food particle or another cell, the process is called phagocytosis.
➢ Pinocytosis

• Pinocytosis occurs when vesicles form around a liquid or around

very small particles.
➢ Receptor-mediated endocytosis

• A form of pinocytosis that is quite specific because it uses a

receptor protein to recognize compatible molecules and bring
them into the cell.