CHAPTER 3

PLASMA MEMBRANE AND

TRANSPORTATION PROCESS
General Function of Plasma Membrane
Protects the whole cell
1. Separates the cell components from its
environment
2. Regulates transport of molecules in and
out of the cell
3. Controls the intake of foreign molecules
due to its selective permeable
characteristics.
Plasma membrane
• A model that described the structure of plasma
membrane which consists of various proteins
embedded in or attached to a double layer
(bilayer) of phospholipids.
• In 1935, Hugh Davson and James Danielli
suggested a structure of the membrane
- the membrane were coated on both sides with
hydrophilic proteins, a sandwich model : a
phospholipid bilayer between two layers of
proteins
• In 1972, S.J. Singer and
G. Nicholson proposed
that membrane proteins
are dispersed and
individually inserted into
the phospholipid bilayer
with only their
hydrophilic regions
protruding far enough
from the bilayer to be
exposed to water. This
structure is called The
Fluid Mosaic Model
 The Fluid Mosaic Model - S.J. Singer and G. Nicholson
Carbohydrate covalently Main functions: cell- Carbohydrate covalently
bonded to protein. cell recognition bonded to lipid.

Not embedded in the lipid bilayer; Proteins that penetrate the

bound loosely to the surface of the hydrophobic core of the lipid blayer.
membrane, the exposed part of the Many are transmembrane proteins
integral protein. which completely span the membrane
Permeability of Plasma Membrane
- Depends on its structure and pore size
4 types of permeability:
a. Permeable
Allows all solutes or molecules to pass through.
b. Semi-permeable
Allows only water molecules and not solutes to pass
through.
c. Selectively permeable
Allows selected solutes and water to pass through.
d. Non-permeable
Does not allow solutes or water molecules to pass
through.
In transportation across the plasma membrane,
these elements will be discussed:
1. Solution
A liquid that is a homogeneous mixture of two
or more substances
2. Solvent
The dissolving agent of a substance.
Water is the most versatile solvent known.
3. Solute
A substance that is dissolved in a solution
Transportation processes across plasma membrane
1. Passive transport
Movement of materials or molecules through a
membrane down the concentration gradient,
without the use of energy.
Examples: Diffusion, osmosis and dialysis
2. Active transport
Involved a carrier system (protein or lipoprotein)
to transfer materials or molecules against the
concentration gradient, with the use of energy –
ATP.
Passive transport
Diffusion
A substance diffuses from where it is more concentrated
to where it is less concentrated – the substance will
diffuse down its concentration gradient until it reaches
equilibrium.
Rate of diffusion depends on several factors:
a. Concentration gradient
The higher the concentration gradient, the higher the rate of
diffusion
b. Diffusion distance
The shorter the diffusion distance, the higher the rate of
diffusion.
c. Surface area of diffusion
The bigger the surface area, the higher the rate of diffusion.
d. Structure and characteristics where diffusion occurs
Higher number and size of the membrane pores will result in
higher diffusion rate.
e. Size and characteristics of diffused molecules
Lipid-soluble molecules can easily cross the plasma membrane.
The smaller the molecules, the higher the rate of diffusion.
Osmosis
The diffusion of water across the selectively
permeable membrane from the region of lower
concentration to the higher concentrations until both
sides are equal
•Passive transport – no energy needed
Same concentrations of sugar

osmosis

Only allows water molecules to

pass through the pores.
3 types of environments:
Isotonic – the same environment with the cell
- no net movement of water across the
membrane, but at the same rate in both
directions
Hypertonic – the environment is more concentrated
compared to the cell
- the cell will lose water to its environment
Hypotonic – the environment is less concentrated
compared to the cell
- the water will enter the cell
Water balance of cells without walls

Hemolysis Normal Crenation

Water balance of cells with walls

Turgid Deplasmolysis Plasmolysis

Active transport
• The movement of substance across a biological
membrane against its concentration gradient with the
help of energy input and specific transport protein
• ATP power active transport by transferring its terminal
phosphate group directly to the transport protein
• It could induce the protein to change its shape to help
transfer the solute bound to the protein across the
membrane
• Example: Sodium-potassium pump – an exchange of
sodium (Na+) for potassium (K+) across the plasma
membrane of animal cells
 Specific transport
protein

Less High
concentration concentration
region region
Exocytosis
• The cell secretes
macromolecules by the
fusion of vesicles with the
plasma membrane and
spill them to the outside
of the cell
• Many secretory cells use
exocytosis to export their
products
• Example:
Cell in pancreas
that secretes insulin.
Endocytosis
The cell takes in macromolecules and particulate
matter by invagination of the plasma membrane.
Involved the formation of vacuole which is
surrounded by plasma membrane.
Two types of endocytosis:
1. Phagocytosis (cellular eating)
The intake material is in solid form.
2. Pinocytosis (cellular drinking)
The intake material is in liquid form.
A cell engulfs a particle by wrapping pseudopodia
around it and packaging it within a membrane-enclosed
sac large enough to be classified as a vacuole. The
particle is digested after the vacuole fuses with a
lysosome containing hydrolytic enzymes.
The cell gulps droplets of extra-cellular fluid into tiny
vesicles. It is not the fluid itself that is needed by the
cell, but the molecules dissolved in the droplet.
Because any and all included solutes are taken into the
cell, pinocytosis is nonspecific in the substances it
transport.