Chapter 7.

2The Plasma
Membrane
Cross Section
Phospholipid Molecule
What’s a Phospholipid?
• It’s a pair of fatty acid chains and
a phosphate group attached to a
glycerol backbone.
–Polar (water-soluble) heads face
out and the nonpolar fatty acids
hang inside.
Watch short video
Membrane Structure
• Membranes consist of a
phospholipid bilayer
combined with a variety of
proteins in a fluid mosaic
arrangement.
• The surfaces of cell
membranes are hydrophilic
(water-loving); the interiors are
hydrophobic.
Hydrophilic molecules tend to
interact with water and with
each other. Hydrophobic
molecules avoid interaction
with water and tend to interact
with other hydrophobic
molecules.
Selective Permeability
A few substances move
freely across the cell
membrane by passive
diffusion. Most small
molecules or ions require
the assistance of specific
protein carriers to
transport them across the
membrane. Large
molecules do not cross
intact cell membranes,
except in certain special
cases.
 Fatty Acid Tails
• Flexibility
• The fatty acid tails are
flexible, causing the lipid
bilayer to be fluid. This
makes the cells flexible.
At body temperature,
membranes are a liquid
with a consistency that is
similar to cooking oil.
 Cholesterol
• In animals, cholesterol is a
major membrane lipid. It may be
equal in amount to
phospholipids.
• It is similar to phospholipids in
that it one end is hydrophilic
(water loving -polar), the other
end is hydrophobic (water
hating non-polar).
• Cholesterol makes the
membrane less permeable to
most biological molecules.
 Proteins
• Proteins Embedded in the
Membrane
• Proteins are scattered
throughout the membrane.
• They may be attached to inner
surface, embedded in the
bilayer, or attached to the outer
surface.
• Hydrophilic (polar) regions of
the protein project from the
inner or outer surface.
Hydrophobic (nonpolar) regions
are embedded within the
membrane.
 Carbohydrate Chains
• Lipids and proteins within the
membrane may have a
carbohydrate chain attached.
These carbohydrates often
function as cell identification
markers, allowing cells to
identify other cells. This is
particularly important in the
immune system where cells
patrolling the body's tissues
identify and destroy foreign
invaders such as bacteria or
viruses. .
 Cytoskeleton

• The cytoskeleton is a network of

protein elements that extend
through the cytoplasm in
eukaryotic cells.
• It provides for the distinctive
shape of cells such as red blood
cells, muscle cells, and nerve
cells (neurons). It produces
movement of cells and is
associated with movement of
materials within cells.
 Assessment
• 1. It maintains homeostasis* by controlling
what moves into and out of the cell

*The ability of a system or living organism to adjust its

internal environment to maintain a stable equilibrium
 Assessment
• 2. The phospholipid bilayer forming the
plasma membrane creates a barrier from
the environment around the cell.
 Assessment
• 3.
 Assessment
• 4. basic Membrane structure –
• phospholipids
• Cell Identity –
• proteins and carbohydrates
• Membrane fluidity –
• cholesterol