Chapter 4.

Structure of the cell membrane and its discovery

4.1. An over view of CM and its functions
 All true cells have plasma membrane
 CM surrounds cytoplasm of the cells
Function of CM
 Define the boundaries of the cell and its organelles
 Serve as a selectively permeable barrier (in & out)
 Give structural strength (keeping the cell contents together)
 Provide mechanisms for
 Cell-to-cell contact, Communication & adhesion
 Regulate transport processes and Recognition of other external
substances & signals by its receptors
 The site of various chemical reactions for prokaryotes
 Location of respiratory enzymes and Assists DNA replication

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Functions of Cell membrane

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 4.2.Early Models of Cell Membrane on its structure
4.2.1. Gorter and Grendel model
 In 1925, E. Gorter and F. Grendel proposed first a lipid
bilayer model of CM structure.
 From their experiments on red blood cells.
 They concluded that CM covered by:
 Lipid bilayer oriented with polar groups toward the inside
and outside of the cell and this type of structure of lipid
bilayer would be most stable.
 The Groter and Grendel model gives a new force to membrane
research.

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 they first tried to describe the structure of membrane at the
molecular level.

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 These researchers extracted the lipid from human red blood
cells and measured the amount of surface area the lipid
would cover when spread over the surface of water.
4.2.2. Danielli-Daveson model
 In 1935, Proposed a sandwich model for CM structure.
 They stated that the CM is composed of a lipid bilayer that
is lined by globular protein layers on both inner and outer
surfaces and Polar solutes.
 Proposed a sandwich model in which the phospholipid
bilayer lies between two layers of globular proteins

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 They thought that the stability of CM maintained by mutual
attraction b/n lipids and electrostatic force b/n the protein and the
head of lipids

Danilli-Daveson model
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4.2.3 Unit membrane model – by Robertson
 Robertson in 1957 proposed a modified version of the
membrane model called the "unit membrane".
 membranes have a characteristic "trilaminar" appearance
consisting of two darker outer layers and a lighter inner
region.
 According to the unit membrane model, the two outer, darker
lines are the protein layers and the inner region the lipid
bilayer.

Fig Robertson trilaminar unit membrane model

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4.2.4. The fluid mosaic model
 It is proposed by Singer and Nicolson in 1972.
 It is the central dogma of membrane.
 It is the current and widely accepted model of CM.
 It had two key features, both implied in its name.
1. The core lipid bilayer exists in a fluid state, capable of dynamic
movement (ever-changing structure).
-Lipid present in a fluid state like vegetable oil.
2. Proteins form a mosaic of particles penetrating the lipid to varying
degrees.
 Proteins are dotted here and there in a mosaic pattern.
 Most protein and individual lipid molecules move laterally.

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Fig The fluid mosaic model
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Cell membrane structure based on fluid mosaic model
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