BMS1021

Cells, Tissues, Organisms

Readings
Concept 7.1 : Cellular membranes…,
The fluidity of membranes, Evolution
Lecture 5: Overview of Cell Structure of differences…, Membrane proteins
and…
Concept 7.2
Mike McDonald Concept 7.3
mike.mcdonald@monash.edu Concept 7.4
Concept 6.2 : Comparing Prokaryotic…
BMS1021: Cells, Tissues,
Organisms

Lecture 5 Overview of Cell Structure

Lecture 6 Major Components of Cells

Lecture 7 Review and example question session

BMS1021: Cells, Tissues,
Organisms

Learning Outcomes

After today’s lecture you should be able to:

1. Describe the minimum requirements of a cell.

2. Calculate the SA:Volume ratio and explain its importance to cells.
3. Describe the fluid mosaic model of membranes.
4. List the types of membrane proteins and their features.
5. Understand the process of diffusion and transport across cell
membranes.
6. Compare and contrast prokaryote and eukaryote cells.
The minimum
requirements of a
cell…

What does it take to be a cell?

Prokaryotes- small but powerful
• Bacteria: found in all environmental niches
• Archaea: similar to bacteria but differences in cell membrane and
resistance to antibiotics

Mycoplasmas: small bacteria that are often intracellular parasites.

What are the minimal requirements for a cell?

Plasma Membrane
Cytoplasm
DNA
Ribosomes
Constraints on cells

What limits cell size?

Lower limit: The cell needs enough volume to carry
the DNA that encodes its components, the basic
machinery to express those genes

Upper limit: enough surface area: volume ratio to

satisfy diffusive entry of O2, nutrients and removal of
wastes
Surface area and volume

Surface area is important for

living systems. Why?

The surface area to volume ratio of a cell is critical.

Why?
Calculating surface area to volume ratio.

Total surface area

[sum of the surface areas (height x width)
of all box sides x number of boxes]
6 150 750
Total volume
[height x width x length x number of
boxes]
1 125 125

Surface to volume ratio

[surface area / volume] 6 1.2 6
Membranes interface with the outside.
Fluid-Mosaic Model of the plasma membrane.

• Cell membranes are a

mosaic of lipids and
proteins
Fluid-Mosaic Model of the plasma membrane.

Phospholipids (the fluid part)

• Fluid phospholipid bilayer
• Diverse phospholipids comprise the bilayer
Phosphatidylcholine Glycolipid Sterol
(a common phospholipid)
Membrane proteins
Transport Enzymes Signal transduction

Cell-cell recognition Joining cells together Attachment inside /

outside cell
Membrane proteins

Function of membrane proteins

• Transport of ions and polar molecules across membranes
• Channels e.g. aquaporin for water transport
• Pumps e.g. ATP driven proton pump
• Enzymes
• Catalysts e.g. electron transport chain in mitochondria

• Receptors
• Communication e.g. hormone receptors
e.g. control entry of signals into the cell
e.g. cell-cell recognition

• Intercellular joining and attachment to extracellular matrix

A closer look at
transport across the
membrane
Diffusion and facilitated movement

Diffusion
Movement of solutes
from regions with
higher concentration
into regions with lower
concentration

Net diffusion ceases

when an equilibrium
concentration is
reached throughout
Diffusion and facilitated movement
Diffusion, osmosis and facilitated movement

Transport proteins
Allow large or charged molecules to be transport across membranes
Diffusion, osmosis and facilitated movement

Facilitated diffusion
Molecules move down a concentration gradient via transport proteins
Diffusion, osmosis and facilitated movement

Active transport
Molecules are pumped across the membrane using energy (ATP) – can be pumped
against a gradient
Membrane proteins

Channel proteins – facilitated diffusion

• Cells often need small molecules to move across the membrane
• Channel proteins allow this
• E.g. aquaporin allows movement of water molecules
Membrane proteins

Electrogenic pumps
• Generate voltage gradient and concentration gradient across
membranes; e.g. Na+ / K+ ATPase; Proton pump
 Pumps that generate an
Membrane proteins electrochemical gradient
(in addition to the
concentration gradient)
Active transport pumps
+ + + + + + +

- - - - - - -
Membrane potential -50 to -200 mV

• The proton pump

• The electrogenic pump of
plants, fungi and bacteria
• Pumps protons (H+) out of
the cell

The electrochemical gradient is a new store of potential

energy (e.g. for ATP synthesis in cellular respiration)
Membrane proteins

Active transport pumps

Membrane proteins

• Symports: in the same direction

Cotransport
• Antiports: in opposite directions
Membrane proteins (anti-port example)
Na+ / K+ pump: Moves sodium ions out of
the cell, and brings in potassium ions Cotransport
+
Extracellular +Na
High N+ Na
Low K+
+ + +
Na Na Na
+ +
Na Na+
Cytoplasmic Na
Low N+
High K+
+ P
ATP
P
Na ADP

Conformational
shape change

Extracellular +
High N+ K
Low K+
K+
+ +
Cytoplasmic + K K
Low N+
K
High K+
K+
P
P
Membrane proteins (symport example)

The sucrose-H+ transport system Cotransport

The cotransporter can only move H + if sucrose is bound too
Prokaryotic & eukaryotic cell differences

Prokaryotes Circular DNA localised into nucleoid regions

of the cell, but without a bounding membrane

Eukaryotes Linear DNA, localised within a membrane-

bound organelle: the nucleus. Eukaryotic
cells also possess a complex endomembrane
system and a range of membrane-bound
organelles, each with specialised functions.
• Endomembrane system of eukaryotes
• Organelles and their functions
• The cytoskeleton and cellular motion
Prokaryotic & eukaryotic cell differences

Eukaryote Prokaryote
10 mμ
Nucleus
Nucleolus
Nucleoid

Complex
endomembrane Capsule

Cell wall
Cytoplasm
Membrane
bound Cell Membrane
organelles Plants also have a cell
wall and chloroplasts
BMS1021: Cells, Tissues, Organisms

Lecture 5 Overview of Cell Structure

Lecture 6 Major Components of Cells

Lecture 7 Review and example question session