GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY

CELL MEMBRANE
BY: DR. HAMZA AL-TRAD
 TOPICS
• PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF CELL MEMBRANE
• CELL MEMBRANE LIPIDS
• CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS
• CELL MEMBRANE CARBOHYDRATES
 PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF CELL MEMBRANE
• The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane) envelops the cell and is a
thin, pliable, elastic structure.
• It is composed almost entirely of proteins and lipids (Cholesterol and
phospholipids mostly).
• Fluid mosaic model describe the structure of the cell membrane  Its basic
structure is a lipid bilayer (2 layers of lipids), that is continuous over the entire cell
surface with large globular proteins scattered in it
• The lipid bilayer is composed of three main types of lipids: phospholipids,
sphingolipids, and cholesterol. Phospholipids are the most abundant of the cell
membrane lipids.
• These lipids are amphipathic lipids.
Fluid mosaic model of cell membrane
 CELL MEMBRANE LIPIDS  PHOSPHOLIPIDS
Phospholipids are amphipathic molecules  They are water and lipid soluble.
• The phosphate end of each phospholipid molecule is soluble in water
(hydrophilic) and the fatty acids end is soluble only in fats (hydrophobic or
lipophilic).
• Because the hydrophobic portions of the phospholipid molecules are repelled by
water but are mutually attracted to one another, they have a natural tendency to
attach to one another in the middle of the membrane
• The hydrophilic phosphate portions then constitute the two surfaces of the
complete cell membrane, in contact with intracellular water on the inside of the
membrane and extracellular water on the outside surface.
• The lipid layer in the middle of the membrane is impermeable to water-soluble
substances (ions, glucose, and urea) but fat-soluble substances (oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and alcohol) can penetrate the cell membrane easily.
 CELL MEMBRANE LIPIDS  CHOLESTROL
• The cholesterol molecules are also amphipathic molecules
• The OH group in cholesterol is hydrophilic and the steroid ring is
hydrophobic
• They mainly help determine the degree of permeability (or
impermeability) of the bilayer to water-soluble constituents of body
fluids.
• Cholesterol controls much of the fluidity of the membrane as well.
Amphipathic structure of Cholesterol Amphipathic structure of Phospholipids
 CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS
• They are globular masses floating in the lipid
bilayer.
• They have two portions:
1. The hydrophobic uncharged one is present in the
interior of the membrane
2. The hydrophilic charged part is directed to the
surface.
• These membrane proteins are mainly
glycoproteins.
• There are two types of cell membrane proteins:
1. Integral proteins  They penetrate all the way
through the membrane and
2. Peripheral proteins  They are attached only to
one surface of the membrane and do not
penetrate all the way through.
CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS  INTEGRAL PROTEINS
• Many of the integral proteins provide structural channels through which water
molecules and water-soluble substances can diffuse between the extracellular
and intracellular fluids. These protein channels also have selective properties
that allow preferential diffusion of some substances over others.
• Other integral proteins act as carrier proteins for transporting substances that
otherwise could not penetrate the lipid bilayer (Passive or active transport)
• Others act as enzymes.
• Integral membrane proteins can also serve as receptors for water-soluble
chemicals, such as peptide hormones, that do not easily penetrate the cell
membrane.
CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS  PERIPHERAL PROTEINS
• Peripheral protein molecules
are often attached to the
integral proteins.
• These peripheral proteins
function almost entirely as
enzymes or as controllers of
transport of substances
through the cell membrane.
Functions of integral proteins
 CELL MEMBRANE PROTEINS  FUNCTIONS
1- Structural proteins:
• They keep the integrity of the membrane and give it strength
2- Form passive channels:
• They are structural proteins that have the ability to change their shapes to form
pores in the membrane.
• These channels are of various diameters, shapes and electric charges lining their
surfaces. They allow the passage of water-soluble molecules (ions and water)
• We have 2 types of channels:
A. Non-gated channels (Leak channels): opened all the time.
B. Gated channels: closed by a part of the protein molecule known by the gate.
• The gated channels are of 2 types:
I. Voltage-gated channels: open or close by alterations in the trans membrane
potential.
II. Ligand-gated channels: open or close when a ligand binds to a specific receptor
in the cell membrane.
Ligand gated channels Leaky and voltage gated channels
3- Carriers in facilitated diffusion:
• They bind large molecules (e.g. glucose) and then change their configuration,
moving the bound molecule from one side of the cell membrane to the other
(down its concentration gradient)
4- Carriers in active transport:
• This form of transport requires energy as it transports substances against their
electrical and chemical gradients.
• There are 3 types of active carriers:
1. Uniporters  They transport one substance in one direction
2. Symporters  They transport 2 substances in one direction. One molecule is
with its concentration gradient and another molecule is against its concentration
gradient.
3. Antiporters  They transport 2 substances in opposite directions. One
molecule is with its concentration gradient and another molecule is against its
concentration gradient.
6- Enzymes:
• They catalyzes reactions inside
or outside the cell (depending
on the direction of active site)
• Example  intestinal enzymes
on intestinal epithelium.
7- Identity proteins:
• Distinguish human cells from Intestinal enzymes
other foreign cells in the body
• Example  MHC complexes

MHC molecules
8- Intercellular connections:
A. Tight junctions  Areas in which there’s fusion of the cell membranes of two
adjacent cells due to the direct interaction between proteins of the cell
membrane. They present on the lateral side of the cell
B. Desmosomes  Here there is also cellular adhesion mediated by
transmembrane glycoproteins. The glycoproteins are attached to protein
plaques which are in turn attached to intermediate filaments.
C. Hemidesmosomes  These are similar to desmosomes but located on the
basal surface of the cell. They provide adhesion between the cell and the
underlying basal lamina.
D. Gap junctions  at these junctions, the cell membrane of two adjacent cells
are apposed. Through these junctions small molecules may pass from the
cytoplasm of one cell to the other.
9- Fixation of parts of the cytoskeleton of the cell:
• The cytoskeleton is a system of fibers that maintains the structure of the cell and
permits it to change shape and move  Microtubules, microfilaments and
intermediate filaments
Intercellular junctions
 CELL MEMBRANE CARBOHYDRATES
• Membrane carbohydrates occur almost invariably in combination with proteins
or lipids in the form of glycoproteins or glycolipids.
• Many other carbohydrate compounds, called proteoglycans (which are mainly
carbohydrate substances bound to small protein cores) are loosely attached to
the outer surface of the cell
• Glycocalyx  a loose carbohydrate coat that cover the entire outside surface of
the cell
• The carbohydrate moieties attached to the outer surface of the cell have several
important functions:
1. Many of them have a negative electrical charge, which gives most cells an
overall negative surface charge that repels other negatively charged objects.
2. Attaching cells to one another through glycocalyx
3. Many of the carbohydrates act as receptor substances for binding hormones
such as insulin