I.

A.
B.
C.
D.

E.

II.
A.

MEMBRANE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Membrane models over the years
1895, discovered that substances that dissolve in lipids entered cells more rapidly
1915, isolated red blood cell membranes found to be composed of proteins and lipid
1925 membrane is a bilayer, hydrophobic inside and hydrophilic facing out
1.
phospholipid amphipathic = has both a hydrophillic and hydrophobic region
1935, thought that bilipid layer was coated with a layer of hydrophillic protein since this
would react better with water
1. flaw #1 = different functioning cells/organelles have different structures (types of
lipids and amount of proteins), therefore, not consistent with model
2. flaw #2 = proteins have hydrophillic and hydrophobic regions too, so just being on
the surface would expose the hydrophobic regions
1972, fluid mosaic model where protein hydrophobic regions are embedded
1.
current model of today and is still undergoing changes

A membrane is a fluid mosaic of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates

The fluid quality of membranes
1.
phospholipids move!
2.
proteins in membrane move too!
3.
with saturated hydrocarbon, packed closely= less membrane fluidity (especially at
low temps) vs. unsaturated hydrocarbons, which are packed loosely, more
membrane fluidity (even at low temps)
B. presence of cholesterol both prevents close packing (more fluid) and provides stability
(less fluid)
Ex. high tolerant plants in cold temp increase unsat. lipid content in autumn so at the
lower temps they retain fluidity
C. Membranes as mosaics of structure and function
1.
membranes = collage of different protein types
D. two types of proteins
a.
integral proteins transmembrane proteins, alpha helix = hydrophobic
region
b.
peripheral proteins loosely bound to surface of membrane or to integral
protein region sticking out
2.
also composed of cytoskeleton filaments (inside support), extracellular matrix
fibers (outside), and carbohydrates (outside)
E. Six major functions of the proteins in cell membranes
1.
transport provides a hydrophilic channel
2.
enzymatic activity proteins act as catalyst to speed up reactions
3.
signal transduction protein acts as a binding site to tranduce a signal across
membrane
4.
intercellular joining proteins of different membranes join

5.
6.

cell-cell recognition carbs on proteins serve at recognition signals that other proteins
can recognize
attachment to cytoskeleton (inside) and extracellular matrix (outside) maintain
shape, coordinate outside movement to inside

F. Cell-to-cell recognition and carbohydrates

1.
used to sort cells during tissue and organ development in embryos
2.
used to recognize foreign cells
3.
are oligosaccharides (short polysaccharides)
alone = carbohydrate
linked to the lipid bilayer = glycolipid
linked to a protein = glycoprotein
4.
carbs vary from species to species, individual to individual, and cell to cell = great
recognition
G. Active transport-transport is going against the concentration gradient.
III. Selective permeability of the lipid bilayer
A. not permeable to
1.
hydrophillic molecules (polar)
2.
ions, small or large (because of its hydration shell)
3.
larger polar molecules charged or not (glucose) pass slowly
B. permeable to
1. hydrophobic molecules (hydrocarbons, O2, CO2)
2. small polar but uncharged molecules (water and ethanol)
C.
Transport proteins the gate is selective too
1.
span the membrane and allow normally non-permeable molecules to pass through or
actually carries molecule through by binding
2.
but is specific Ex. special transport protein allows glucose into liver cells but not its
structural isomer fructose
3.
aquaporins bring water into the cell
IV. Passive transport is diffusion across a membrane
A.
diffusion = the tendency of molecules to spread out into available space
the molecules move randomly, but the entire group of molecule movement is
directional
molecules will move down their concentration gradient = move from high to low
concentration; is a spontaneous reaction Ex. O2 moves into a cell where it is consumed
B.
passive transport = diffusion of a substance across a biological membrane (passive =
spontaneous)
V. Osmosis is passive transport of water across a membrane
A.
hypertonic = the solution with the higher concentration of solute

B.
C.
D.
to

hypotonic = the solution with the lower concentration of solute

isotonic = solutions of equal solute concentrations
water moves from a higher conc. to a lower conc. (aka water moves from a hypotonic
a hypertonic solution)

VI. Cell survival depends on balancing water uptake/loss

A.
Water balance in cells without walls
1. osmoregulation = conteracts negative effects of living in non-isotonic solutions
Ex. paramecium lives in a hypotonic solution, so has a membrane that is relatively less
permeable to water, and has a built-in pump to force out excess water
B.

Water balance of cells with walls ( plants)

1. flaccid = in an isotonic solution
2. turgid = in a hypotonic solution, normal
3. plasmolysis = in a hypertonic solution, membrane pulled away from wall, lethal

VII. Specific proteins facilitate the passive transport of selected solutes

A.
Facilitated diffusion = molecules cross the membrane with the help of transport
proteins, since using a conc. gradient, still spontaneous = passive
B.
Transport proteins are like an enzyme
1.
specific in what it is helping across
2.
can be saturated
3.
can be inhibited by other molecules that look like substrate
4.
although dont catalyze a reaction, do increase physical movement across the
membrane
VIII. Active transport is the pumping of solutes against their concentration gradients
A.
actively moving against a conc. gradient, therefore not spontaneous, requires energy
input
B.
Ex. sodium-potassium pump = uses ATP, the phosphate attaches to the protein which
causes a conformational change which then sends Na+ out
IX. Sodium ion pumps generate voltage across membranes
A.
electrochemical gradient = gradient based on both an ion conc. gradient and a charge
gradient; less ions inside of the cell and favors cation (+) transport into cell (since its
normally negatively charged) Ex. Na+ moves into cell since less conc. there and is
positively charged
B.
electrogenic pump = a transport protein that generates a voltage across the membrane.
For every three Na+ out, only two K+ in, therefore, overall negatively charged
C.
proton pump = primarily in plants, bacteria, and fungi, transports H+ out of cell
X. Why voltage across cell? Cotransport

A.

cotransport = when a membrane couples the transport of one solute to another Ex. H+
being pumped out of cell allows for it to escort sucrose into the cell as H+passively goes
back in by way of transport protein

XI. bulk transport of large molecules

A.
Exocytosis = golgi apparatus forms vesicles which then combine with the membrane,
then contents spill out. Many secretory cells use exocytosis to export their secretions.
B.

Endocytosis = reverse of exocytosis where membrane becomes the vesicle to transport

things in
1.
phagocytosis = cell engulfs a relatively large particle to bring in
2.
pinocytosis = small droplets
3.
receptor-mediated endocytosis = very specific binding of outside molecules to
receptors (ligands) on membrane then proceed like regular endocytosis
a.
region of membrane with ligands = coat pit
b.
under coat pit on inside of membrane = coat protein (may help to form pit)
c.
ligands bind to low density lipoproteins. Someone with high cholesterol in
the blood has defective receptor proteins so cholesterol cant enter cell and
accumulates in the bloodstream. Build up can cause atherosclerosis