Phospholipid

bilayer
- STRUCTURE
- ADAPTATION

By Milka RAHMAN
Senior Lecturer, Biology
Mastermind
What need to be covered?
 know the structure of the cell membrane
 properties of cell membranes
 understand how models such as the fluid mosaic model of membrane structure are
interpretations of data used to develop scientific explanations of the structure and
properties of cell membranes
 CORE PRACTICAL 3 Investigate membrane properties including the effect of alcohol and
temperature on membrane permeability.
 understand what is meant by osmosis in terms of the movement of free water molecules
through a partially permeable membrane, down a water potential gradient
 RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL PRACTICAL Investigate tissue water potentials using plant tissue
and graded concentrations of a solute.
 understand what is meant by passive transport (diffusion, facilitated diffusion)
 understand what is meant by active transport (including the role of ATP as an
immediate source of energy)
 endocytosis and exocytosis
 understand the involvement of carrier and channel proteins in membrane transport
Where are
membranes
found on
the cell?
Where are membranes found on
the cell?
Where are membranes found on
the cell?
Where are membranes found on the cell?
Endomembrane system
Cell (plasma) membrane

- proteins
Membranes Control What Passes Through Them

Cell
(Plasma)
Membrane
Organelles
membrane
Roles of
organelle’s
membrane
Different cellular compartments
can have different conditions
 Cell Membranes have a Fluid Mosaic’ Structure

The basic structure of all cell

membranes is pretty much
the same.
Structure of the cell membrane
The Different Components of Cell Membranes have
Different Roles
Major
component
of cell
membrane
 Lipids - The lipids in the  Phospholipid molecule is made up of the
following parts:

cell membrane are 1. A head They allow lipid-

soluble materials to
Tail
called phospholipids.
2.
move through the
membrane easily
Phospholipids create the bilayer

Phospholipid bilayers
are a barrier to most
water soluble
substances because
the interior of the
membrane is
hydrophobic.
As their tails are non-
polar it's also difficult
Small, uncharged molecules Small, uncharged molecules can also
for molecules or ions to
can also pass through the pass through the bilayer easily such as
pass through them
bilayer easily such as oxygen oxygen
•Amphipathic: having one surface consisting of
hydrophilic amino acids and the opposite surface
consisting of hydrophobic (or lipophilic) ones.
Head
• It is composed of a glycerol molecule to
which an ionized phosphate group is
attached.

• The phosphate group forms the polar part of

the molecule.

• The polar phosphate group is thus water

loving i.e. hydrophilic.

• The head therefore dissolves in water

because hydrogen bonds readily form
between the phosphate head and water
molecules.
Tail The phospholipid
fatty acid tails can
It’s made up of two fatty acid residue composed of
hydrocarbon chains
be saturated or
unsaturated The fatty acid is neutral and insoluble in water i.e.
hydrophobic (water hating)
Diagram
 A small amount of phospholipid in contact with
The more water will float with the hydrocarbon tail above
unsaturat water forming a monolayer
ed tails
there are,
 If water is on either side, the phospholipid forms a
the more
fluid the bilayer, with the hydrophilic heads pointing into
membran the water while the hydrophobic tails are
e is protected in the middle.

The phospholipid tails face inward creating a

hydrophobic interior to the bilayer
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Proteins

There's two types of proteins within the

bilayer
INTEGRAL
PERIPHERAL
 Integral & Peripheral
 Integral is the intrinsic
 Peripheral is the extrinsic
Extrinsic proteins

 • They occur either on the surface of the bilayer or only

partly embedded in it
 • They act to give mechanical support to the membrane
 • Some have carbohydrate chains attached to them,
making them glycoproteins these have a role in cell
recognition and cell interaction. e.g. immune responses
to antigens.
Intrinsic proteins
 • These completely span the bilayer
 • Some act as carriers to transport water-soluble materials across the
bilayer
 • Some are enzymes
 • i) Channel proteins - consist of a pore lined with polar groups allowing
charged ions to pass through as well as water soluble substances. Each
channel protein is specific for one type of ion and they can open/close
depending on the needs of the cell. e.g. sodium gates at a synapse
 • ii) Carrier proteins - allow the diffusion across the membrane of large,
polar molecules such as sugars and amino acids. A particular molecule
attaches to the carrier protein at its binding site and causes the carrier
protein to change its shape
Cholesterol
Cholesterol Gives the
Membrane Stability
Cholesterol
Fluid Mosaic Model of Cell membrane

Fluid mosaic model was first proposed by S.J. Singer and garth L. Nicolson in
Proteins are scattered through the
bilayer, like tiles in a mosaic.
The permeability of a cell
membrane is affected by:

1. the polarity
2. electric charge
3. molar mass of the molecules
that diffuse through it
Cell membranes are
very permeable to?
Cell membranes are less
permeable to?
Cell membranes are
highly permeable to?
3 main factors that influence cell
membrane fluidity:

1. Temperature
2. Cholesterol
3. Saturated or Unsaturated Fatty Acid
Temperature

The temperature will affect how

the phospholipids move and
how close together they are
found.
Fluidity

 At LOW temperature…

 At HIGH temperature…
Cholesterol acts as a bidirectional
regulator of membrane fluidity

Cholesterol
Cholesterol
 increasingfluidity at low temperatures
 decreasing fluidity at high temperatures
Saturated fatty acids

the chains
are straight
and tightly
packed
Unsaturated fatty acids

 The double
bonds create
kinks in the
chains, making
it harder for
the chains to
pack tightly.
 Summary –
Factors that influence bilayer
fluidity
 The length of the fatty acid tail
 Temperature
 Cholesterol content
 The degree of saturation of fatty acids tails
No.1

The diagram below represents the

structure of the cell surface membrane.

 Explain why the phospholipid molecules form a

bilayer.
 Explain why the phospholipid molecules form a
bilayer.
No.2