Cell Membranes

Structure and Function

Membrane Structure
 Membrane Structure
• Current model: fluid-mosaic
• Fluid: the phospholipid bilayer (lipids can shift
and move)
• Mosaic: the embedded proteins (do the work)
• Animal cell membranes also have cholesterol
Membrane Structure
 Carbohydrate of
glycoprotein

Glycoprotein

Glycolipid

Integrin

Phospholipid
Microfilaments
of cytoskeleton Cholesterol
 Membrane Structure
• Phospholipids allow some materials to pass
through. Ex. Small, non-polar molecules such
as carbon dioxide and oxygen.
• Polar molecules (like sugars) cannot go through.
• Ions (Na+, K+, Cl-) cannot go through.
• Polar molecules and ions require the help of
membrane proteins to get in and out of the cell.
• This is selective permeability.
 Membrane Structure
• Phospholipids: hydrophilic heads, hydrophobic fatty acid tails;
main lipid in membrane
• Cholesterol: support and to keep the membrane fluid at low
temperatures
• Proteins:
• Glycoproteins (proteins with short carbohydrates attached):
recognition; ‘ID tags’
• Integrins: go through membrane, attach to cytoskeleton;
support cell; relay information
• Other proteins: transport, signaling, serve as enzymes