Activity 1

CELL MEMBRANE

NAME: LARVIN ANDREI E. BECHAYDA

SECTION: 11- ANDRES BONIFACIO

I. Cytoplasmic Organelle: Membranous systems

a. Draw a plasma membrane (Fluid Mosaic Model) and Identify its parts and functions.
(Take a picture of your drawing and paste it in the box)
FUNCTIONS:
Hydrophilic head - Commonly known as “water-loving”, known for being polar, Hydrophilic
Heads faces outward and makes contact with fluids inside and outside of the cell.
Hydrophobic Tail – Commonly known as “water fearing”, known for being non-polar, protects
the cell parts from the water entering the cell.
Integral Protein – Responsible for the movement of the molecules across the phospholipid
bilayer and it extends through one or both layers.
Surface Protein – Plays the role in the cell communication
Cholesterol – Helps to regulate temperature and avoid the cell membrane from becoming stiffy.
Protein Channel- Acts as pores in which makes the water molecules enter.
Alpha Helix Protein – also known as “Transmembrane” which extends all the way across the
membrane.
Phospholipid Bilayer- makes up the base or acts as the fabric of the membrane, has
hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.
Globular Protein - Acts as transport channels for certain molecules.
Glycolipid – Facilitates and maintains the stability of the cell-to-cell interactions of the
membrane.
Carbohydrate Chain – The chains recognize harmful bodies in cell-to-cell interaction.
Glycoprotein – Helps in binding on other cells (Cell Adhesion) and also helps in recognizing
harmful bodies.
II. Describe the fluid-mosaic model of membrane structure as well as the models that preceded
it. Site evidences that either disproves or supports this model.
- In the Mid-19th Century, the development of colloidal chemistry and the
naming of the term “Osmosis”, then in 1855 two botanists named Naegeli
and Cramer stated that cell membrane plays role in the osmosis of cells.
Osmosis is the passage of water to a semipermeable membrane. After that,
in 1877 Botanist Wilhelm Pfeffer proposed that cells were entirely covered
by a thin surface that is called a plasma membrane which it contains cell
water and solutes. Next, in 1895-1899 Ernest Overton a British Physiologist
developed the concept of lipid membrane but it had a flaw in which the
explanation for the high permeability of water. Then, in 1904 Nathanson
proposed the Mosaic Model in which the Membrane is a mosaic with lipid
areas and areas with semipermeable gel which allows water in then in
refining the model Ruhland added that the membrane contains pores that
an additional passage for molecules. Next, in 1935 Hugh Davson and James
Danielli proposed that the Phospholipid Bilayer is surrounded by protein
layers on both sides and Lastly, It was then later proposed the Fluid Mosaic
Model by Singer-Nicholson in 1972 which explains that the Membrane is a
fluid structure with a mosaic of proteins embedded into the phospholipid
bilayer.

III. One of the main features of the cell surface membrane is that it is partially
permeable, so allowing the transfer of substance between its internal and external
environments. Using your knowledge of the fluid mosaic model, explain how the membrane
acts as a barrier to water-soluble molecules.

- It acts as a barrier to certain molecules especially to water-soluble

molecules to ensure the protection of the inside environment of the cell
and keep the outside materials selective which the term selectively
permeable comes from. Cell Membrane also has cholesterol that is
responsible for the regulation of temperature and helps in permeability and
cell fluidity. And based on the structure of the hydrophilic heads and
hydrophobic tails it allows the passage of water molecules that leads to the
hydrophobic tails immediately repels water to prevent water-soluble
molecules or polar materials from entering the membrane.