Overview: Life at the Edge

Ch. 7: Membrane Structure and Function Plasma membrane is the boundary that separates the environment ftom the living dell Plasma membrane exhibits selective permeability, allows some substances in and not others C 7.1: cellular molecules are fluid mosaics of lipids and proteins C 7.2: membrane structure results in selective permeability C 7.3: passive transports is diffusion of a substance across a membrane with no energy investment C 7.4: active transport uses energy to move solutes against their gradients C 7.5: bulk transport across the plasma membrane occurs by exocytosis and endocytosis Phospholipids are the most abundant lipid in the plasma membrane Phospholipids are amphiphatic molecules, contain hydrophobic and hydrophilic region Fluid mosaic model states that a membrane is a fluid structure with a mosaic of various proteins embedded in it must be a phospholipids layer Membranes have been chemically analyzed and found to be made of proteins and lipids Scientist studying plasma membrane reasoned that it must be a phospholipids bilayer It was proposed that the membrane was like a sandwich, but problems were found with this and late then found that it was a bilayer with one side exposed to water Freeze fracture studies of the plasma membrane supported the fluid mosaic model Freeze fracture is a technique that splits membrane along middle of phospholipids layer Phospholipids in plasma membrane can move within the bilayer Some proteins (and most lipids) drift laterally As temp cool, membranes turn fluid -> solid, but membranes work properly as a fluid; usually as fluid as salad oil Temp at which membrane solidifies depends on the type of lipid Membrane rich in unsaturated fatty acids are more fluid that those rich of saturated ones Steroid cholesterol have diff effect on membrane fluidity at diff temp - in warm temp, cholesterol restrain movement of phospholipids - at cool temp, maintain fluidity by preventing tight packing Membranes diffuse if nearby, combine membranes because of fluidity movement

Key concepts

C 7.1: Cellular membranes are fluid mosaics of lipids and proteins

Membrane models: Scientific inquiry

Membrane Fluidity

Evolution of Differences in Membrane Composition

Variation in lipid composition of cell membranes of many species appear to be adaptations to specific environmental conditions Ability to change the lipid composition in response to temp changes has evolved organisms that live where temp vary Membrane is a collagen of different proteins, often grouped together, embedded in the fluid matrix of the lipid bilayer Proteins determine most of the membranes specific functions Membrane is now considerably more complex than a lipid bilayer.

Membrane proteins and their functions

Membrane proteins

Peripheral proteins are bound to the surface of the membrane Integral proteins penetrate the hydrophobic core Integral proteins that span the membrane are called transmembrane proteins Hydrophobic regions on integral proteins consist of one or more stretches of nonpolar amino acids often coiled into alpha helices Six major functions of membrane proteins: -transport -enzymatic activity -signal transductions -cell-cell recognition -intercellular joining -attachment to the cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix (ECM) Peripheral proteins are bound to the surface of mem. Integral proteins penetrate the hydrophobic core Integral proteins that span the membrane are called transmembrane proteins Cell recognize each other by binding to surface molecules, often contain carbohydrates, on surface of plasma membrane Membrane carbohydrates may be covalently bonded to lipids (forming glycolipids) or more commonly to proteins (glycoproteins) Carbohydrates on external side vary among species, individuals, and even cell types in in. Membranes have distinct insides and outside faces Asymmetrical distribution of proteins, lipids, and associated carbohydrates in plasma membrane is built by the ER and Golgi apparatus Cell must exchange material with surrounding, controlled by the plasma membrane Plasma membrane are selectively permeable, regulating cells molecular traffic Permeability of lipid bilayer - hydrophobic, nonpolar, molecules can go threw the membrane with ease - polar molecules, like sugar, cant cross membrane as easily Transport Proteins allow passage of hydrophilic substances across membrane -channel proteins: have hydrophilic channel that certain molecules of ions can use as a tunnel, channel proteins called aquaporins facilitate the passage of water - carrier proteins, bind to molecules and change shape to shuttle across membrane A transport protein is specific for the substance it move Diffusion is the tendency for molecules to spread out evenly into available space Although each molecule moves randomly, diffusion of a mass of molecules may shoe a movement to on direction At dynamic equilibrium, as many molecules cross on way as in reverse Substances diffuse down their concentration gradient, difference in concentration of a substance from one area to another No work must be done to move substance down concentration gradient Diffusion of substance across biological membrane is passive transport becc it requires no energy from cell to make it go

The Role of membrane carbohydrates in Cell-cell recognition

Synthesis and sidedness of membranes

C 7.2: Membrane structure results in selective permeability

C 7.3: Passive transports is diffusion of a substance across membrane with no energy investment

Effects of osmosis on water balance

Osmosis is the diffusion of water across a selective permeable membrane Water diffuses across membrane from area of low solute concentration(=high water concentration) to area of higher solute concentration(=lower water concentration) until reach equilibrium of solute concentration Tonicity- ability of surrounding solution to cause a cell to gain or lose water Isotonic solution: solute concentration is same as inside of cell; no net water movement across plasma membrane Hypertonic solution: solute concentration is greater than inside of cell, cell loses water Hypotonic solution: solute concentration is less than inside of cell; cell gains water Hypertonic and hypotonic environment create osmotic problems for organisms Osmoregulation, control of water balance, is a necessary adaptation for life in such environments The protest Paramecium, which is hypertonic to its pond water environment, has a contractile vacuole that acts as a pump Contractile vacuole fills with fluid that enters, and when full, the vacuole and canals contract, expelling fluid from the cell In facilitated diffusion, transport proteins speed the passive movement of molecules across the plasma membrane Channel proteins provide corridors that allow specific molecules or ions to cross the membrane - aquaporins (for water) - ion channels that open or close in response to a stimulus (gated channels) Carrier proteins Facilitated diffusion is passive transport bcc the solute moves down its concentration gradient, and the transport require no energy Some transport proteins, however, can move solutes against their concentration gradients: active transport - active transport need energy, usually ATP - active transport is performed by specific proteins embedded in the membrane Active transport allows cell to keep concentration gradients that differ from surroundings Sodium-potassium pump is one type of active transport - Sodium out - Potassium in Passive transport need no energy, powered by diffusion, Active transport need ATP Membrane potential is the voltage difference across membrane Voltage is created by difference in the distribution of +ive and ive ion b/w inside and outside of cell Two forces drive diffusion of ions across membranes: 1) Chemical force: concentration gradient of ion, ions diffuse down their con. gradient 2) Electrical force: effect of ions charge and membrane potential effect on the ions movement Electrogenic pump is transport protein that generates voltage across membrane - sodium-potassium pump is major electrogenic pump of animal cells (3Na+out 2K- in) - proton pump is main electrogenic pump of plants, fungi and bacteria Electronegative pump help store energy that can be used for cellular work

Water balance of cells without walls

Facilitated diffusion: passive transport aided by proteins

C 7.4: Active transport uses energy to move solutes against their gradients

How ion pumps maintain membrane potential

Creating membrane potential?

Cotransport: double transport by a membrane protein

Contransport occurs when active transport of solute indirectly drives transport of another solute Plants commonly use gradient of hydrogen ions generated by proton pumps to drive active transport of nutrients into the cell Small molecules and water enter or leave the cell through lipid bilayer or via transport protein Large molecules, such as polysaccharides and proteins, cross membrane in bulk via vesicles Bulk transport require energy in exocytosis, transport vesicles migrate to the membrane, fuse with it, and release their contents to the outside of the cell many secretory cells use exocytosis to export their products takes place in macromolecules by forming vesicles from plasma membrane endocytosis is reversal of exocytosis, involving different proteins 3 types of endocytosis - phagocytosis (cellular eating) - pinocytosis (cellular drinking) - receptor-mediated endocytosis

C 7.5: Bulk transport across the plasma membrane occurs by exocytosis and endocytosis

Exocytosis

Endocytosis

You should now be able to

Define terms: amphipathic molecules, aquaporins, diffusion Explain how membrane fluidity is influenced by tem and membrane composition Distinguish between following terms/pairs: peripheral and integral proteins; channel and carrier proteins; osmosis, facilitated diffusion, active transport; hypotonic, and isotonic solutions Explain how transport proteins facilitate diffusion Explain how an electrogenic pump creates voltage across membrane, name 2 electrogenic pumps Explain how large molecules are transported across cell membrane