CHAPTER 5

MEMBRANE
STRUCTURE
AND TRANSPORT

Learning Outcomes
5.2. Membrane Structure
1. Describe the fluid-mosaic model of
membranes
2. List the various molecules that make up a
membrane
3. Identify the three different types of membrane
proteins

Components of a membrane
1. Phospholipids
2. Proteins
3. Lipids
4. Cholesterol

Phospholipids are considered

amphipathic molecules because they
have polar and nonpolar regions
Nonpolar regions are Hydrophobic (water
fearing)
Polar regions are Hydrophilic (water
loving)

Types of proteins found associated with

membranes
Integral membrane proteins
Protein that crosses into or through the lipid
portion of a membrane
Transmembrane proteins go through the entire
membrane
Lipid anchors

Peripheral membrane protein

Attached to an integral membrane protein
Attached to a phospholipid
Attached to a portion of the cytoskeleton
6

Questions
What type of molecules make up a membrane ?
Why would it be improbable that a nonpolar
protein could pass through the entire plasma
membrane?
Would a protein that is passing through the lipid
section of a membrane be polar or nonpolar ?
Could an integral protein only pass through a
small section of membrane ?
7

Proteins have three different ways of

associating with a membrane

Learning Outcomes
5.2 Fluidity of Membranes
1. Describe the fluidity of membranes by
explaining lateral movement in a
membrane and the function of the
Flippase enzyme
2. Analyze how membrane fluidity is
affected by lipid composition
3. Describe a lipid raft
9

Experiments on Lateral Transport

Larry Frye
and
Michael
Edidin
Explain why H-2
proteins are found
only on one side of
the cell when the
cells were
incubated at 0C
10

Describe the factors involved in

membrane fluidity
Fry showed that
individual molecules
remain in close association
yet have the ability to
readily move within the
membrane
This includes
phospholipids and nonanchored proteins
Turn around
Move laterally

11

Phospholipid molecule can flipflop in a

membrane BUT
it takes an enzyme and energy to allow this to
happen
The enzyme used to allow this to happen is
called Flippase
The cellular energy is ATP

12

Membranes are fluid, but what could

affect how much fluidity they have ?
Length of fatty acyl tails
Shorter acyl tails are less likely to interact, which
makes the membrane more fluid

Presence of double bonds in the acyl tails

Double bond creates a kink in the fatty acyl tail,
making it more difficult for neighboring tails to
interact and making the bilayer more fluid

Amount of cholesterol

13

Question
Frye found that phospholipids could
A. Flip from one leaflet to another in the cell
membrane without any enzyme or ATP
B. Move to the inside of the cell and enter the
cytoplasm
C. Spin around in place
D. Move laterally throughout the membrane
E. C & D
14

FRAP
Watt Webb and
colleagues used
Fluorescence
Recovery After
Photobleaching
(FRAP)
Explain how
this experiment
shows lateral
movement of
membrane
proteins

15

Movement of Membrane Proteins

Depending on the cell type, 1070% of
membrane proteins may be restricted in their
movement
Integral membrane proteins may be bound to
components of the cytoskeleton
restricts the proteins from moving laterally
Membrane proteins may be attached to
molecules that are outside the cell
such as the interconnected network of
proteins that forms the extracellular matrix
16

17

18

18

Learning Outcomes
5.3 Synthesis of Membrane Components in
Eukaryotic Cells
1. Outline the synthesis of lipids at the ER
membrane
2. Explain how transmembrane proteins are
inserted into the ER membrane
3. Describe the process of glycosylation and the
functional consequences

19

Lipid Synthesis at the ER membrane

Building blocks for phospholipids: 2 fatty acids w

actyl tail, 1 glycerol, one phosphate, 1 polar head
group
20

Lipids made in the ER are transferred to other

membranes
Diffuse laterally to the nuclear envelope
Transported via vesicles to the Golgi,
lysosomes, vacuoles, or plasma membrane
Lipid exchange proteins extract a lipid from
one membrane, diffuse through the cell and
insert the lipid to another membrane
ER to mitochondria
Chloroplasts and mitochondria to other cell
organelles
21

Most Transmembrane
Proteins are
First
Inserted
into the ER
Membrane

22

Glycosylation: function
Glycolipids & glycoproteins play a role in cell
surface recognition
Protective effect: glycocalyx
Glycosylation: process
N-linked: attachment of a carbohydrate to the
amino acid asparagine
O-linked: occurs only in the Golgi apparatus
Production of proteoglycans (mucus,
saliva)
23

N-linked glycosylation

24

Selectively Permeable
Membrane
ensures
Essential
molecules
enter
Metabolic
intermediates
remain
Waste products
exit
25

Hydrophobic interior

26

Compare & contrast diffusion, facilitated

diffusion, passive transport, & active transport
What is Diffusion ?
Movement of solute from an area of higher
concentration to an area of lower
concentration
Passive diffusion- Diffusion of a solute through
a membrane without transport protein or
energy
Facilitated diffusion- Diffusion of a solute
through a membrane with the aid of a transport
protein (no energy needed)
27

Questions
Which diagram shows
simple diffusion ?

Which diagram shows

facilitated diffusion ?

28

Questions
Is energy needed for either
type of transport ?
A. Yes
B. No
What drives the movement of
these molecules from one
side of the membrane to the
other ?
C. Concentration gradient
D. Use of energy (ATP)
29

The rate of diffusion depend on

1. diameter of the molecules or ions
2. temperature of the solution
3. electric charge of substance diffusion
4. concentration gradient in the system

30

Outside the cell

Inside the cell

The solution
and cell are
isotonic

Isotonic

Hypertonic

The solution
is hypertonic
to the cell

Hypotonic

The
solution is
hypotonic
to the cell

31

Objective # 6
Define Osmosis. Explain the
difference between osmosis and
simple diffusion
Water diffusing through a membrane from
an area with more water to an area with less
water
If the solutes cannot move, water movement
tries to bring the solution of the cell into
balance with the external environment
The cell shrinks or swells as water leaves or
enters the cell
32

More
solutes
outside
than
inside

Less
solutes
outside
than
inside

Explain why the red blood cell shrinks

in hypertonic solution.
Explain why the red blood cell bursts
in hypotonic solution.
33

Water can also enter

or exit a cell through
proteins called
Aquaporins
CHIP28
Membrane protein

Objective # 7
List 5 types of channel proteins and
describe how they function
Types of Channel Proteins
1. Ligand gated
2. Intracellular regulatory
3. Phosphorylated
4. Voltage gated
5. Mechano-sensitive

35

 How

does a channel function ?

Form an open
passageway for the
direct diffusion of ions
or molecules across the
membrane
Solute diffuses: with the
concentration gradient !! No
energy needed.
36

What are the types of gated channels

and how does each function ?
Ligand-gated: a channel controlled
by the noncovalent binding of
small molecules (ligands) ie. ions
Intracellular regulatory proteins:
proteins bind to channels, control
their ability to open and close
Phosphorylation: ATP
Voltage-gated: opens or closes in
response to changes in the
amount of electric charge across
the membrane
Mechanosensitive channels:
sensitive to changes in membrane
tension
37

Objective # 8: Describe how carrier proteins

function
Proteins change shape to
move a molecule across a
membrane
Conformational change in
protein channel, transports
solute
Principal pathway for the
uptake of organic
molecules, such as sugars,
amino acids, and nucleotides
Key role in export of
materials
38

Three Ways Transporter

Proteins Function
Uniporter
single molecule or ion
Symporter/
cotransporter
2 or more ions or
molecules transported
in same direction
Antiporter
2 or more ions or
molecules transported
in opposite directions

What main principle do

these transporter
molecules work on ?
39
Conformational
change

Objective # 9: Describe the functioning of the

Na+/K+ pump.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTHWig1vOnY

40

Objective#10

DescribethedifferencebetweenPrimaryand
SecondaryActiveTransport
Primary active transport
Directly use energy to transport solute
Secondary active transport
Uses pre-existing gradient to drive transport of
solute

41

What is Active transport ?

Movement of a solute across a membrane
against its concentration gradient: from a
region of low concentration to higher
concentration
Energetically unfavorable and requires the
input of energy

42

ActiveTransport:requiresenergy(ATP)and
proteincarriers

PrimaryActiveTransport:requiresATPtomove
ionsagainstaconcentrationgradient.
43

Explain what happens to the transport protein

when a phosphate is attached.

44

 SecondaryActiveTransportDoesnotuse
ATPdirectly
SecondaryUtilizesapreexistinggradientto
drivetheactivetransportofasolute

45

Explain, in detail, what occurs during Primary

active transport, during Secondary active
transport. How do they differ ?
46

1. Howdoesthesodiumpotassiumpumpbuildupa
concentrationgradientsothatasecondaryactive
transportsystemworkswithouttheinputofenergy?
2. IfacellhadATPandNa+ions,butK+ionswere
missing,howfarthroughthereactionmechanism
couldthepumpproceed?

47

ATP-Driven Ion Pumps Generate Ion

Electrochemical Gradients
Na+/K+-ATPase

48

Table 5.4: Important functions of ion electrochemical gradients

Function

Description

Transport of ions
molecules

Symporters and antiporters use H+ and Na+ and

gradients to take up nutrients and export waste

Production of energy In the mitochondrion and chloroplast, H+ gradients

intermediates
are used to synthesize ATP
Regulation of
cytostolic pH

Transporters sense pH changes and regulate the

internal pH of the cell

Osmotic regulation
Animal cells control their internal volume by
regulating ion gradients between the cytosol and
extracellular fluid
Nerve signaling

Na+ and K+ gradients are involved in conducting

action potentials

Muscle contraction

CA2+ gradients regulate the ability of muscle fibers

to contract

Bacterial swimming

H+ gradients drive the rotation of bacterial flagella

49