Learning outcomes :

At the end of this topic, students should be

able to :

describe the structure and properties of cell

membrane according to Fluid Mosaic Model

Identify the structure and state the function of :

Cell wall mitochondria lysosomes
nucleus Golgi body Chloroplasts
ribosome
Nucleolus Centrioles
s
Rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Key Terms

• selectively permeable
• Mitochondria
• Cell wall
• Ribosome
• Nucleus
• Nucleolus
• Golgì body
• Lysosomes
• Chloroplast 4

CELL MEMBRANE

• A cell is separated from its environment by

a plasma membrane which is selectively
permeable.

• The plasma membrane is commonly

described as a FLUID MOSAIC MODEL.

7
 Structure of cell membrane

Phospholipid
bilayer

FLUID MOSAIC MODEL

‘ FLUID’
- Refers to phospholipid molecules that move
freely, so the plasma membrane is quite fluid
and flexible.
‘MOSAIC’
- Refers to the proteins that are embedded in
the membrane
Consist of
- phospholipids bilayer - Glycoprotein
- Glycolipid - Cholesterol
- Protein

Cell Wall

Cell Wall

Structure :
• Found only in plant cell
• surrounds the plasma membrane
• Made up of cellulose

Function :
• Maintains the shape of the cell
• Protects the cell
 Nucleus

Nucleus

Structure :
• one in each cell
• Shape : Round or oval
• surrounded by nuclear envelope
• consists of nucleoplasm that contains
Chromatin
Nucleolus
Function :
• Acts as the centre to control cell activities

Nucleolus

Nucleolus
Structure :
Found within the nucleus
Shape : Round or oval

Function :
• Synthesise rRNA
 Mitochondria

Mitochondria
Structure :
• Found in all eukaryotic cells
• Double membrane organelle :
– Inner membrane
• Cristae (foldings of inner membrane)
– Outer membrane
• Contains semifluid matrix
Function :
• sites of cellular respiration generating ATP

Rough and Smooth Endoplasmic

Reticulum

• A membranous system which is continuous

with the outer nuclear membrane

• Two types of ER that differ in structure and

function
– Rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER)
– Smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER)

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

• Rough ER (RER) has ribosomes attached to it

 Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

• Smooth ER (SER) lacks ribosomes.

Functions of Endoplasmic
Reticulum
• Rough ER
Involves in intracellular transport of proteins

• Smooth ER
Participates in the synthesis of lipids,
phospholipids & steroids
Participates in carbohydrate metabolism
Detoxifies drugs and poisons

Golgi Body Golgi body

 Golgi Body

Structure
• Stacks of flattened sacs

Functions :
– The site of biochemicals synthesis:
• Formations of lysosomes
• Assembling glycoproteins by
combining carbohydrates and proteins
• Production of digestive enzymes

Ribosomes
 Ribosomes
Structure :
• Without membrane
• Can be found :
– freely in cytoplasm
– Attached to RER
• each consisting of 2 subunits
– large subunit
– small subunit
Function :
– the site of protein synthesis

Lysosomes
Structure :
Small spherical vesicles.
Contain a variety of hydrolytic enzymes which can digest
material within the cell
Functions :
Break down macromolecules such as proteins,
polysaccharides and nucleic acids
Digest old and worn out organelles (autophagy)
Destruction of cells by their own lysosomes
- important during metamorphosis and development

Chloroplasts

Chloroplasts
Structure :
• Surrounded by a double membrane
– Outer membrane
– Inner membrane
• Thylakoid membrane : part of inner
membrane system
• Contain photosynthetic pigments
• Stroma : gel-like matrix

Function :
• sites of photosynthesis.
 Centrioles

1 set of triplet
microtubules

Centrioles

Structure :
• found in animals cells.
• Pair of cylindrical structures located in the
centrosome.
• Each cylinder consists of nine sets of triplet
microtubules arranged in a ring.

Functions :
• as organisers of spindle fibres during cell division
• produce basal bodies from which flagella and cilia
developed.
 Key Terms

• Selectively permeable
• Hypotonic
• Hypertonic
• Dynamic equilibrium
• Passive transport
• Active transport

Passive Transport

• The diffusion of a substance

• across a biological membrane
• down concentration gradient
• without the supply of energy (ATP).

Diffusion TYPES OF Facilitated

PASSIVE Diffusion
TRANSPORT
(Not require energy)

Osmosis

DIFFUSION

Definition:
• Movement of the substances (molecules, ions &
atoms) from a region of higher concentration to a
lower concentration.
• Movements of individual molecules are random
 DIFFUSION
• The phospholipid bilayer is permeable to very small
uncharged molecules like oxygen and carbon
dioxide.
• These molecules diffuse freely in and out of the
cell through the phospholipid bilayer.
• The phospholipid bilayer is not permeable to charged
ions

DIFFUSION

• e.g. a permeable membrane separating a

solution with dye molecules from pure water,
• until both solutions have equal concentrations of
the dye - dynamic equilibrium

DIFFUSION of two solutes

• each substance diffuses down its own
concentration gradient

OSMOSIS

Definition
• The passive movement of water molecules
• across a selectively permeable membrane
• from the hypotonic solution to the hypertonic
solution
• The movement continues until both solutions are
isotonic.
 OSMOSIS

OSMOSIS

when the two solutions are isotonic :

water molecules move at equal rates
from one to the other
with no net movement

OSMOSIS
The Concepts of Water Potential

Definition :
• the physical property that predicts
• the direction in which water molecules will flow
• determined by solute
solute concentration
concentration and applied
pressure.
pressure

OSMOSIS
The Concepts of Water Potential

• The symbol : a Greek alphabet, psi, ψ

• The units : kilopascals (kPa
kPa) @ megapascals (MPa)
 OSMOSIS

• Pure water has the highest water potential which is

set at zero
• Dissolving solute molecules in pure water will
reduce the water potential (more negative) as the
concentration of water molecules lower

OSMOSIS –
The concept of water potential
Less More
Negative negative

OSMOSIS
The Concepts of Water Potential
• The three quantities

• Water Potential, ψ

• Solute Potential, ψs

• Pressure Potential, ψp

OSMOSIS
The Concepts of Water Potential
(in plant cell)

The combined effects of pressure and [solute] on

water potential are incorporated into the following
equation:
ψ = ψs + ψp *

ψp: due to the presence of cell wall

 OSMOSIS
Definition (the concept of water potential)

• The passive movement of water molecules

• across a selectively permeable membrane
• from the solution of higher water potential to the
solution of lower water potential.

FACILITATED DIFFUSION
Definition :

• Diffusion of solutes across a membrane with the

help of transport proteins.
• The movement is spontaneous.
•bound to specific transport proteins
•down their concentration gradients.
•without using energy

MODES OF FACILITATED DIFFUSION

depends on the types of the transport proteins :

1. Carrier protein
2. Channel protein
 Active transport
DEFINITION
• the movement of a substance across a
biological membrane

• against its concentration gradient

• with the help of energy input and

specific transport protein

Active transport
• The ATP is needed

to bind the carrier &

the solute together
to enable the carrier to
translocate the solute
across the membrane
to separate the solute
from the carrier