2. Overview
Cell membrane separates living cell from
nonliving surroundings
thin barrier = 8nm thick
Controls traffic in & out of the cell
selectively permeable
allows some substances to cross more easily
than others
hydrophobic vs hydrophilic
Made of phospholipids, proteins & other
macromolecules
AP Biology
3. Phosphate
Phospholipids
Fatty acid tails
hydrophobic
Phosphate group head
Fatty acid
hydrophilic
Arranged as a bilayer
Aaaah,
one of those
structure–function
examples
AP Biology
5. More than lipids…
In 1972, S.J. Singer & G. Nicolson
proposed that membrane proteins are
inserted into the phospholipid bilayer
It’s like a fluid…
It’s like a mosaic…
It’s the
Fluid Mosaic Model!
AP Biology
6. Membrane is a collage of proteins & other molecules
embedded in the fluid matrix of the lipid bilayer
Glycoprotein Extracellular fluid
Glycolipid
Phospholipids
Cholesterol
Transmembrane
proteins
Peripheral
protein
Cytoplasm Filaments of
cytoskeleton
AP Biology
7. Membrane fat composition varies
Fat composition affects flexibility
membrane must be fluid & flexible
about as fluid as thick salad oil
% unsaturated fatty acids in phospholipids
keep membrane less viscous
cold-adapted organisms, like winter wheat
increase % in autumn
cholesterol in membrane
AP Biology
8. Membrane Proteins
Proteins determine membrane’s specific functions
cell membrane & organelle membranes each have
unique collections of proteins
Membrane proteins:
peripheral proteins
loosely bound to surface of membrane
cell surface identity marker (antigens)
integral proteins
penetrate lipid bilayer, usually across whole membrane
transmembrane protein
transport proteins
channels, permeases (pumps)
AP Biology
11. Membrane Fluidity
More kinks
1. More difficult to pack phospholipid together – membrane stays
fluid at lower temp
(Bacteria, yeast adjust the fatty acid composition according to
temp, to maintain membrane fluidity)
2. The kinks shorten the length of hydrocarbon chains, so that the
membrane is thinner.
AP Biology
12. 1. Lateral movement in the
plane of the lipid layer
2. Rotational movement around
the longitudinal axis of the
molecule
3.Transversion or “flip-flop” movement of
phospholipids from one layer to the other.
This movement is rare and requires
energy.
AP Biology
13. Cholesterol in Plasma Mambrane
Unique to plasma membrane
Stabilize membrane
AP Biology
15. The stereochemistry has a
profound effect on the lateral
packing of lipids in the membrane.
Unsaturated fatty acids decrease
the close packing of molecules in
the membrane
AP Biology
16. Cholesterol
Makes the bilayer
– Stronger
– More flexible
– Less fluid at high temperatures
– Less solid at low temperatures
– Slows phospholipid movement
– Less permeable to water-soluble
substances
AP Biology
17. If the membrane consists mainly of saturated
fatty acid chains, it interdigitates with the
hydrocarbon chains making them more
loosely packed, thus increasing fluidity.
If the membrane contains several
unsaturated fatty acids, it fits into the
gaps caused by bending at the double
bonds and thus stabilizes the
membrane.
AP Biology
18. Brain cell membranes in ground squirrels
become more solid during hibernation.
Phospholipids containing more
polyunsaturated fatty acids are more fluid
than those with fewer polyunsaturated fatty
acids.
Cholesterol in membranes reduces fluidity as
well.
There are times when membranes need more
or less fluidity, and molecular composition
provides for sure membrane flexibility.
AP Biology
19. Why are
proteins the perfect
molecule to build structures
in the cell membrane?
AP Biology 2007-2008
20. Classes of amino acids
What do these amino acids have in common?
nonpolar & hydrophobic
AP Biology
21. Classes of amino acids
What do these amino acids have in common?
I like the
polar ones
the best!
AP Biology
polar & hydrophilic
22. Proteins domains anchor molecule
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
extracellular fluid &
Nonpolar areas of protein
AP Biology
into cytosol
23. H+
Examples Retinal
chromophore
NH2
water channel
in bacteria
Porin monomer
b-pleated sheets
Bacterial Nonpolar
outer (hydrophobic) COOH
membrane a-helices in the
cell membrane H+
Cytoplasm
proton pump channel
in photosynthetic bacteria
function through
conformational change =
AP Biology shape change
24. Many Functions of Membrane Proteins
Outside
Plasma
membrane
Inside
Transporter Enzyme Cell surface
activity receptor
Cell surface Cell adhesion Attachment to the
AP Biology identity marker cytoskeleton
25. Membrane carbohydrates
Play a key role in cell-cell recognition
ability of a cell to distinguish one cell
from another
antigens
important in organ &
tissue development
basis for rejection of
foreign cells by
immune system
AP Biology
26. Glycoprotein
Glycoprotein, a membrane protein with
a carbohydrate group attached to the
extracellular side.
• The carbohydrate acts as an
identification tag for the cell.
• Examples:
– Immune system and bacteria
– Red blood cells
AP Biology
29. Diffusion
2nd Law of Thermodynamics
governs biological systems
universe tends towards disorder (entropy)
Diffusion
AP Biology
movement from high low concentration
30. Diffusion
Move from HIGH to LOW concentration
“passive transport”
no energy needed
movement of water
AP Biology diffusion osmosis
31. Diffusion across cell membrane
Cell membrane is the boundary between
inside & outside…
separates cell from its environment
Can it be an impenetrable boundary? NO!
IN OUT
food waste
carbohydrates OUT ammonia
sugars, proteins salts
amino acids CO2
IN
lipids H2O
salts, O2, H2O products
AP Biology
cell needs materials in & products or waste out
32. Diffusion through phospholipid bilayer
What molecules can get through directly?
fats & other lipids
lipid
What molecules can
inside cell NOT get through
NH3 salt directly?
polar molecules
H 2O
ions
salts, ammonia
sugar aa H 2O
outside cell large molecules
starches, proteins
AP Biology
33. Channels through cell membrane
Membrane becomes semi-permeable
with protein channels
specific channels allow specific material
across cell membrane
inside cell H 2O aa sugar
NH3
AP Biology salt outside cell
34. Facilitated Diffusion
Diffusion through protein channels
channels move specific molecules across
cell membrane
facilitated = with help
no energy needed
open channel = fast transport
high
low
AP Biology “The Bouncer”
35. Active Transport
Cells may need to move molecules against
concentration gradient
shape change transports solute from
one side of membrane to other
protein “pump”
conformational change
“costs” energy = ATP low
ATP
high
AP Biology “The Doorman”
36. Active transport
Many models & mechanisms
ATP ATP
antiport symport
AP Biology
37. 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
uses a protein pump ATP
requires ATP
AP Biology
38. Transport summary
simple
diffusion
facilitated
diffusion
active ATP
transport
AP Biology
39. How about large molecules?
Moving large molecules into & out of cell
through vesicles & vacuoles
endocytosis
phagocytosis = “cellular eating”
pinocytosis = “cellular drinking”
exocytosis
AP Biology exocytosis
40. Endocytosis
fuse with
phagocytosis lysosome for
digestion
pinocytosis non-specific
process
triggered by
receptor-mediated molecular
endocytosis signal
AP Biology
41. The Special Case of Water
Movement of water across
the cell membrane
AP Biology 2007-2008
42. 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
AP Biology
43. 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
hypotonic hypertonic
AP Biology
net movement of water
44. Managing water balance
Cell survival depends on balancing
water uptake & loss
AP Biology freshwater balanced saltwater
45. 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
AP Biology balanced
46. Managing water balance
Hypotonic
a cell in fresh water
example: Paramecium
problem: gains water,
swells & can burst
water continually enters
Paramecium cell
solution: contractile vacuole
ATP pumps water out of cell
ATP
plant cells
turgid
AP Biology freshwater
47. Water regulation
Contractile vacuole in Paramecium
ATP
AP Biology
48. 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
AP Biology saltwater
49. 1991 | 2003
Aquaporins
Water moves rapidly into & out of cells
evidence that there were water channels
Peter Agre Roderick MacKinnon
John Hopkins Rockefeller
AP Biology
50. 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 cell
AP Biology