inside cell membrane

• Cell membrane function

  It is semi-permeable, letting some materials through but not others
• If volume inside a cell increases, there is a greater need for surface area for food to enter, waste to be removed, and metabolic reactions to occur
• Experiment preparation

  Soak eggs in vinegar for 24-48 hours to remove the shell
• Cells are much smaller than the egg model to maintain a high surface area to volume ratio
• Surface area is crucial for a cell as it determines the surface measurements of the cell membrane
• Surface area to volume ratio


  Cells have a high surface area to volume ratio to efficiently allow materials in and out
• Osmosis involves water traveling through a semi-permeable membrane
• Cell membrane


  • Mimics a cell membrane when the shell is removed from the egg
• Surface area is important for cells
• Every single cell has a membrane
• The surface area is still larger than the volume in this large model, but it’s only 2 times as large now, not 6 times as large
• Phospholipid bilayer

  • Consists of phospholipids arranged with nonpolar areas in between, providing flexibility and separating inside and outside areas
• Hydrophilic


  The polar head of a phospholipid that loves water
• If temperatures drop

  Cholesterol can function like spacers between phospholipids to prevent them from becoming too packed
• A phospholipid bilayer is a major structure of the cell membrane
• Every single living thing is made up of 1 or more cells, which is part of the cell theory
• Hydrophobic


  The nonpolar tail of a phospholipid that does not like water
• Cells are way smaller than this small model to allow for an exceptionally large surface area to volume ratio
• Phospholipid


  A lipid with a polar head and a nonpolar tail, making it amphiphilic
• The Fluid Mosaic Model is often used to describe the cell membrane
• If temperatures rise

  Cholesterol can function to connect phospholipids to keep them together
• Cholesterol in the cell membrane is critical
• Glucose molecules in the bloodstream

  Cannot pass through the phospholipid bilayer to enter cells
• Peripheral proteins can have various functions such as speeding up reactions or helping with cell shape
• Cholesterol


  • Cholesterol in cell membrane is critical
  • Cholesterol functions as spacers between phospholipids in low temperatures
  • Cholesterol can connect phospholipids to prevent them from being too fluid in warm temperatures
• If carbohydrates attach to the phospholipid, it forms a glycolipid
• A glycoprotein known as CD4 is essential for immune system cells to interact and activate, but it is exploited by the HIV virus
• Amoeba Sisters: 'Well that’s it for the Amoeba Sisters, and we remind you to stay curious!'
• Integral proteins are frequently involved in transporting materials
• Understanding the components of the cell membrane and their involvement in recognition and cell signaling is critical in fighting viral and bacterial diseases
• Glycoproteins and glycolipids play a role in self/non-self recognition and cell signaling
• Both protein types can have carbohydrates bound to them, making them glycoproteins
• Proteins


  • Proteins play major roles in or on the cell membrane
  • Peripheral proteins tend to be on the exterior areas of the membrane and do not go through it
  • Integral proteins go through the membrane and are frequently involved in transporting materials
  • Integral proteins are essential for glucose molecules to enter cells to make ATP