PLASMA MEMBRANE NOTES

The cell membrane is also known as the plasma membrane.

Functions
controls what enters & leaves cell (selectively permeable)
provides protection & support
flexible

Structure
Phospholipid bilayer (2 layers)
phosphate head (hydrophilic) faces water on both
sides
lipid tails (hydrophobic) stay inside the membrane

The plasma membrane contains proteins that float around in it

Carbohydrate chains are attached to the outside of proteins (they were attached in the ER)
Carbohydrates are receptors that identify what can enter the cell
Proteins in membrane help transport substances across membrane
Diffusion: movement of molecules from high concentration to low
concentration
does not require energy
equilibrium: when the concentration is equal
Solution = solute + solvent
Saltwater = salt is the solute, water is the solvent Diffusion is a high concentration of particles
Naturally spreading out towards an area
of low concentration
3 Types of Solution
1. Hypertonic: more solute outside cell than inside cell
water moves out of cell; cell shrinks
2. Hypotonic: less solute outside the cell, more solute inside the cell
water moves into cell; cell swells
3. Isotonic: solute is equal on both sides

Hypertonic Hypotonic

Osmosis = water molecules move from high concentration to low concentration

(diffusion of water) across a selectively permeable membrane
Facilitated Diffusion: uses a protein

Facilitated Diffusion
some molecules need the help of a protein to diffuse across
the membrane (Ex: sugar; ions)
- moves from high to low concentration
- does NOT require energy/ATP
Active Transport
- molecules move across a membrane with the
help of a protein against a concentration
gradient (from low to high concentration)
- requires energy/ATP

Examples of Active Transport

1. Sodium-Potassium Pump: pumps sodium
(Na+) out of cell and potassium (K+) into cell
uses a protein
requires energy
2. Endocytosis: cell membrane folds inward
to take in molecules
- phagocytosis = endocytosis of very large particles
3. Exocytosis: a vacuole inside the cell fuses with plasma membrane & spits out the contents

ENDOCYTOSIS EXOCYTOSIS

Endocytosis involves a cell swallowing Exocytosis is a cell 'throwing up' large

large molecules molecules