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Prokaryotic
cells are bound by different layers of
membranes
Plasma Membrane: two layers of phospholipids that
regulate what goes in and out of the cell
Very flexible
Cell Wall: rigid outer layer that maintains the shape of the
cell and prevents collapsing or swelling
Very rigid
(Also found in plant cells)
Cytoplasm
Inside cells are numerous different objects swimming in
a semi-liquid solution
This solution is called cytoplasm.
The cytoplasm has three functions:
Provide a medium to move against within the cell (imagine
trying to swim in an empty pool)
Internal support of the cell
In Eukaryotic cells, stabilize the organelles in place
Other prokaryotic structures
Nucleoid
› A general region of the cell where the DNA is stored
Plasmid
› A circular section of DNA
Fimbriae
› Fibers on the surface of the cell that allow cells to
attach to surfaces
Sex pili
› Tubular structures used to pass DNA from cell to cell
Membranes
The reason you are able to build immunities, use your
senses, keep your temperature regulated, stay
hydrated, and hundreds of other functions is because
of your membrane.
The membrane is one of the most-studied organelles
because it’s easy to see with microscopes
Multiple different models of the structure of the
membrane have been proposed as early as 1900.
In 1972, the model recognized as the most accurate
depiction of the cell membrane was introduced: the
fluid-mosaic model
Cell Membrane Structure
Themajority of the cell membrane is a molecule
called a phospholipid
A phospholipid is a long chain of lipids attached to a
phosphate molecule
The phosphate molecule is hydrophilic, or “water-
loving”. It can safely and freely be in contact with
water and water-soluble molecules
“Polar”