Cell membranes

Cells are enclosed within

semipermeable membranes that
regulate their interaction with their
surroundings.
 vocabulary
• Cell membranes • Hypotonic
• Phospholipid bilayer • Active transport
• Diffusion • Concentration
• Osmosis
• Equilibrium
• Isotonic
• Hypertonic
• Facilitated diffusion
 Phospholipids
• Hydrophilic (polar) head • Unique design of plasma
and hydrophobic membrane allows the
(nonpolar) fatty acid cell to be
tail. semipermeable. This is
• Interaction with water important for the cell to
cause the phosholipids function.
to create a bilayer, with
fatty acid hydrophobic
tails inside the bilayer
and hydrophilic groups
exposed to the water.
 Three ways of getting in and out
of the cell through the membrane
1. Simple diffusion such as water osmosis
(Zero energy required)
2. Carrier-facilitated diffusion- use of
protein carriers to cross over (zero
energy required)
3. Active transport- requires free energy
in the form of a chemical bond or pump
 Concentration &
Diffusion
• The concentration of a solution is
the mass of a solute in a given
volume of solution.
• In diffusion, particles move from
an area of high concentration to
low concentration.
• When the solute is evenly
distributed the solution has
reached equilibrium.
 Diffusion
• Zero Energy is
required
• Cell does not have to
use any ATP
• Random movement of
particles
• Ends when equilibrium
is reached
• Simple diffusion
 Osmosis
• Water molecules are polar
• Not expected to pass
through lipid bilayer
• Chemists recently
discovered ‘aquaporins’
• Channels made of proteins
• Allow for water molecules
to pass into cell.
• osmosis
 Hypertonic and Hypotonic
• Water will tend to move
across membranes until
equilibrium is reached; the
concentration of water will
be the same on both sides=
isotonic
• If solute is more
concentrated=hypertonic
– “above strength”
• If solute is less
concentrated=hypotonic
– “less strong”
 Penicillin
• Antibiotic works by depending upon osmosis
• Penicillin inhibits an enzyme with which many
bacteria produce that strengthens their cell
wall
• The weakened cell wall cannot withstand
osmotic pressure
• Gradually the wall becomes so weak it
bursts.
 Facilitated Diffusion
• Cell membranes have protein
molecules embedded into
them which create channels
for specific substances.
• Fast and specific for that
molecule
• Net movement of molecules
across membrane only occurs
if the concentration is higher
on one side than another.
• No energy required
• Carrier-facilitated diffusion-
 Active Transport
• Materials are moved
against the
concentration
gradient
• Requires energy
• Transport proteins
“pumps” found in the
cell membrane
 Review
1. What is the term used to describe the cell
membrane which indicates the ability to only
let some particles in?
2. The main role of the cell membrane is to?
3. What type of molecule is embedded in the
cell membrane to allow large molecules to
pass through by active transport?
4. Osmosis is the mov’t of what across a
membrane?