Chapter 7Membrane Structure and Function.ppt

Chapter 7Membrane Structure and Function Why membranes are selectively permeable The role of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates in membranes How water will move if a cell is placed in an isotonic, hypertonic, or hypotonic solution How electrochemical gradients are formed 7.1 Cellular membranes are fluid mosaics of lipids and proteins Plasma membrane is selectively permeable Phospholipids Amphipathic molecules – hydrophobic and hydrophillic regions Integral proteins Completely embedded in the membrane (hydrophobic core) Some are transmembrane proteins that span the entire plasma membrane Peripheral proteins Loosely bound to the membrane surface Carbohydrates Attached to membrane and membrane bound proteins Crucial in cell-cell recognition Glycolipids Glycoproteins Does the plasma membrane move? Membrane Proteins and Their Functions Six major functions of membrane proteins: Transport Enzymatic activity Signal transduction Cell-cell recognition Intercellular joining Attachment to the cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix (ECM) The Role of Membrane Carbohydrates in Cell-Cell Recognition Cells recognize each other by binding to surface molecules, often carbohydrates, on the plasma membrane Glycolipids Glycoproteins (more common) These Carbohydrates vary among species, individuals, and even cell types in an individual Concept 7.2: Membrane structure results in selective permeability Hydrophobic (nonpolar) molecules, such as hydrocarbons, can dissolve in the lipid bilayer and pass through the membrane rapidly Polar molecules, such as sugars, do not cross the membrane easily Transport Proteins Transport proteins allow passage of hydrophilic substances across the membrane Some transport proteins, called channel proteins, have a hydrophilic channel that certain molecules or ions can use as a tunnel Channel proteins called aquaporins facilitate the passage of water Concept 7.3: Passive transport is diffusion of a substance across a membrane with no energy investm