The Cell Membrane

(Gateway to the Cell)

The semipermeable membrane that encloses the cytoplasm of a cell.
Also called cytomembrane , plasmalemma , plasma membrane .

Plasma Membrane

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 Photograph of a Cell Membrane

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 ▪ Biological membrane or Cell membrane;
▪ thin barrier = 8nm thick
▪ separates the cell contents from their external
environment……an absolutely necessity for life.
▪ Divide the interior of the cell into
compartments.

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 Functions of Plasma Membrane
✓ Protective barrier
✓ Regulate transport in & out of cell (selectively
permeable)
✓ Allow cell recognition; interaction between cells
✓ Provide anchoring sites for filaments of
cytoskeleton

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 Functions of Plasma Membrane

✓ Provide a binding site for enzymes

✓ Contains the cytoplasm (fluid in cell)

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 ▪ The biological membrane consists
mainly of proteins and lipids
▪ The chemical composition of cell
membrane changes widely….e.g.
▪ Membrane Composition by weight
Protein% Lipids% CHO%
▪ Mylin 20 75 5
▪ RBC , s 49 43 8
▪ Outer mitochondrial membrane 50 46 4
▪ Inner mitochondrial membrane 75 23 2

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 Lipids are water insoluble molecules that are highly soluble
In organic solvents, e.g. chloroform

Membrane lipids has 3 major types

1. Glycerophospho lipids
2. Glycolipids
3. Cholestrol

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 Glycerophospholipids-the major calss of
membrane lipids.
Glycerophospho lipids are fat derivatives in which
one fatty acid has replaced by a phosphate
group and several N-containing molecules

▪ Fatty acid tails

◆ hydrophobic
▪ Phosphate group head
◆ hydrophilic
▪ Arranged as a bilayer

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 Phosphatidyl Choline (Lecithin)

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 Phosphotidyl ethanolamine (cephalin)

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 Phospholipid bilayer

polar
hydrophili
c
heads
nonpolar
hydrophobi
c
tails
polar
hydrophili
c
heads
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 FLUID MOSAIC MODEL

▪ In 1972, S.J. Singer & G. Nicolson proposed that membrane

proteins are inserted into the phospholipid bilayer
FLUID- because individual phospholipids and proteins can
move side-to-side within the layer, like it’s a liquid.
MOSAIC- because of the pattern produced by the scattered
protein molecules when the membrane is viewed from
above.

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 Membrane Lipid composition varies
Lipids RBC,s memb Mylin
Phospho lipids 69 % 43 %
Cholestrol 25 % 26 %
Glycolipids 05 % 30 %

Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine

predominate quantitatively in the lipid fraction of
most biological membranes and they mainly
constitute the matrix of these membranes

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 ▪ Lipid composition affects flexibility/fluidity
◆ membrane must be fluid & flexible

◆ % unsaturated fatty acids in phospholipids

▪ keep membrane less viscous
▪ cold-adapted organisms, like winter wheat

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▪ Membrane must be fluid to work properly.
Solidification may result in permeability changes
and enzyme deactivation.
▪ Unsaturated hydrocarbon tails enhance membrane
fluidity because kinks at the carbon-to-carbon
double bonds hinder close packing of
phospholipids.
▪ Membranes solidify if the
temperature decreases to a
critical point. Critical
temperature is lower in
membranes with a greater
concentration of
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unsaturated phospholipids.
• Membrane fluidity is influenced by
temperature and by its constituents.
• As temperatures cool, membranes switch
from a fluid state to a solid state as the
phospholipids are more closely packed.
• Membranes rich in unsaturated fatty acids
are more fluid than those dominated by
saturated fatty acids
because the kinks in the
unsaturated fatty acid
tails prevent tight packing.
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▪ Cells may alter membrane lipid composition/
concentration in response to changes in temperature
➢ Many cold tolerant plants (e.g. winter wheat) increase
the unsaturated phospholipid concentration in autumn,
which prevents the plasma membranes from solidifying
in winter.

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 ➢ Archaebaceteria ---live in ecological niches with
extreme conditions.
❖ contain unique membrane lipids----32 carbon-chain
branched fatty acids linked at each end with glycerol
by ether bonds------much more stable to hydrolysis at
low pH & high temperature.

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 Membrane Cholesterol

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 Cholesterol is present in every cell of your body
❑ The amount of cholesterol in membranes???
➢ by number and by mass
❖ Plasma membrane have nearly one cholesterol per
phospholipid molecule….other membranes (like
around bacteria) have no cholesterol.
❖ Organelle membrane…. Mitochondria—3%
ER---6%

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▪ Cholesterol found in plasma membranes of
eukaryotes, modulates membrane fluidity
by making the membrane:
➢ Less fluid at warm temperatures (e.g. 37 C body
temperature) by restraining the phospholipid movement.

➢ More fluid at lower (cool) temperatures by preventing

close packing of phospholipids.

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 1
It helps to stiffen the membrane, making it less soft.

2
It also helps the membrane to remain relatively fluid (as in
"fluid mosaic model").

3
It also provides ( lipid rafts) a suitable molecular
environment for certain membrane proteins---function as
raft or plate forms for the attachment of protein during
movement.
4
It makes the nearby portion of a cell membrane less
permeable to small molecules that are soluble in water

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 ▪ Membrane glyco lipids

➢ Also constituent of the membrane

➢ Projecting into the extracellular space
➢ May be protective, insulators and site of
receptors bindings

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 Membrane Proteins
▪ Membrane proteins are often classified by the
type of function they perform:

◆ Most of the molecules are structural components,

enzymes, hormone receptors, or transport
mechanisms.

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 Many Functions of Membrane Proteins
Outsid
e
Plasma
membran
e
Insid
e Transporter Enzym Cell
e surface
activity receptor

Cell surface Cell Attachment to

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 Integral membrane proteins : (also called “intrinsic membrane
protein” these proteins are deeply embedded in the membrane
and are tightly bound to it; thus portion of these proteins are in
van der waals contact with the hydrophobic region of the
membrane.

These can be removed by agents such as detergents, organic

solvents or denaturants.

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 In some of the integral membrane protein the
polypeptide chain traverses the bilayer----are
called as Trans membrane protein.
The hydrophobic side chains of the amino acids are
embedded in the hydrophobic central core of the
membrane.

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a) Single pass trans membrane protein
b) Multi-pass trans membrane protein

❑ Amphipathic/amphiphillic in nature—same orientation as

lipid bilayer

The portion with in the lipid bilayer consists primarily of

hydrophobic amino acids----those portions of polypeptides
that project out from the lipid bilayer have a high percentage
of hydrophilic amino acids

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 ▪ Within membrane
Polar
areas
of protein
◆ nonpolar amino
acids
▪ hydrophobic
▪ anchors protein
into membrane
▪ On outer surfaces of
membrane
◆ polar amino acids
▪ hydrophilic
▪ extend into
Nonpolar areas of protein
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 2. Peripheral Membrane Proteins: (also called extrinsic
protein)
These are more loosely associated with the membrane
by ionic interaction or hydrogen bonds with the polar
head groups;
They may be also attached non-covalently to the
protruding portion of integral membrane protein

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 A change in pH or ionic strength is
often sufficient to remove these
proteins from the membrane

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 Glycoprotein

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 Membrane carbohydrates
▪ Play a key role in cell-cell recognition
◆ ability of a cell to distinguish one cell from
another

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 Classes of amino acids
What do these amino acids have in common?

nonpolar &
hydrophobic
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 Classes of amino acids
What do these amino acids have in common?

polar &
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hydrophilic
 Movement across the
Cell Membrane

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 Diffusion
▪ 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
governs biological systems
◆ universe tends towards disorder (entropy)

▪ Diffusion
◆
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 Diffusion
▪ Move from HIGH to LOW concentration
◆ “passive transport”
◆ no energy needed movement of
water

diffusio osmosi
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n s
 Diffusion across cell membrane
▪ Cell membrane is the boundary
between inside & outside…
◆ separates cell from its environment
Can it be an impenetrable NO
boundary? !
IN OUT
food waste
carbohydrates OU ammoni
sugars, T a
proteins salts
amino acids CO2
IN
lipids H2 O
salts, O 2 , H2 O products
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cell needs materials in & products or waste out
 Diffusion through phospholipid bilayer
▪ What molecules can get through directly?
◆ fats & other lipids
li
p
s ▪ What molecules can
inside cell
N i NOT get through
a
H d directly?
l
3
t ◆ polar molecules
▪ H 2O
s
◆ ions
u H
a ▪ salts, ammonia
g 2
outside cell a O ◆ large molecules
a
r ▪ starches, proteins
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 Channels through cell membrane
▪ Membrane becomes semi-permeable
with protein channels
◆ specific channels allow specific
material across cell membrane
s
H u
inside cell a
2 g
O
a
a
r

s
N a
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l
 Facilitated Diffusion
▪ Diffusion through protein channels
◆ channels move specific molecules across
cell membrane
facilitated = with help
◆ no energy needed
open channel = fast transport
hig
h

lo
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w “The
Bouncer”
 Active Transport
▪ Cells may need to move molecules against
concentration gradient
◆ shape change transports solute from
one side of membrane to other
◆ protein “pump”
◆ “costs” energy = ATP lo conformational change
w

AT
P

hig
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h “The
Doorman”
 Active transport
▪ Many models & mechanisms
AT AT
P P

antipor sympor
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 Getting through cell membrane
▪ Passive Transport
◆ Simple diffusion
▪ diffusion of nonpolar, hydrophobic molecules
• lipids
• high → low concentration gradient
◆ Facilitated transport
▪ diffusion of polar, hydrophilic molecules
▪ through a protein channel
• high → low concentration gradient
▪ Active transport
◆ diffusion against concentration gradient
▪ low → high
AT
◆ uses a protein pump P
◆
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requires ATP
 Transport summary
simple
diffusio
n

facilitate
d
diffusion

active AT
transpor P

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t
 How about large molecules?
▪ Moving large molecules into & out of cell
◆ through vesicles & vacuoles
◆ endocytosis
▪ phagocytosis = “cellular eating”
▪ pinocytosis = “cellular drinking”
◆ exocytosis

exocytosi
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s
 Endocytosis
fuse with
phagocytosi lysosome for
s digestion

pinocytosi non-specific
s process

triggered by
receptor-mediated molecular
endocytosis signal
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 The Special Case of Water

Movement of water across

the cell membrane

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 Osmosis is diffusion of water
▪ Water is very important to life,
so we talk about water separately
▪ Diffusion of water from
high concentration of water to
low concentration of water
◆ across a
semi-permeable
membrane

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 Concentration of water
▪ Direction of osmosis is determined by
comparing total solute concentrations
◆ Hypertonic - more solute, less water
◆ Hypotonic - less solute, more water
◆ Isotonic - equal solute, equal water

water
hypotoni hypertoni
c net movement of c
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 Managing water balance
▪ Cell survival depends on balancing
water uptake & loss

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 Managing water balance
▪ Isotonic
◆ animal cell immersed in
mild salt solution
▪ example:
blood cells in blood plasma
▪ problem: none
• no net movement of water
■ flows across membrane
equally, in both directions
• volume of cell is stable

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 Managing water balance
▪ Hypotonic
◆ a cell in fresh water
▪ example: Paramecium
▪ problem: gains water,
swells & can burst
• water continually enters
Paramecium cell

AT ▪ solution: contractile vacuole

P • pumps water out of cell
• ATP
◆ plant cells
▪ turgid
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 Water regulation
▪ Contractile vacuole in Paramecium

AT
P

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 Managing water balance
▪ Hypertonic
◆ a cell in salt water
▪ example: shellfish
▪ problem: lose water & die
▪ solution: take up water or
pump out salt
◆ plant cells
▪ plasmolysis = wilt

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 1991 |
Aquaporins 2003
▪ Water moves rapidly into & out of cells
◆ evidence that there were water channels

Peter Agre Roderick

John MacKinnon
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Hopkins Rockefeller
 Osmosis…

.05 M .03 M

Cell (compared to beaker) → hypertonic or hypotonic

Beaker (compared to cell) → hypertonic or hypotonic
Which way does the water flow? → in or out of
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 Any
Questions??

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