Membrane Physiology

    Cards (13)

    • Plasma membrane
      Outer boundary of every cell
    • Plasma membrane
      • Selective permeability
      • No cell wall
      • Extremely thin layer of lipids and proteins
    • Phospholipid bilayer
      • Polar
      • Non-polar
      • "Sandwich" appearance
    • Hydrocarbon tails
      • Short & unsaturated = high permeability & fluidity
      • Long & saturated = low permeability & fluidity
    • Cholesterol
      • Regulates membrane fluidity
      • Bidirectional regulator of fluidity
    • Lipids
      • No bonds
      • Amphipathic
      • Steroid
      • Fused ring structure
      • Kinked tail
    • High temperature

      Increases membrane fluidity
    • Otis et al. (2011): 'Cholesterol and lipoprotein dynamics in a hibernating mammal'
    • Fluid mosaic model
      Fluid lipid bilayer embedded with (integral) proteins and carbohydrates
    • Osmosis
      Movement of water from high concentration to low concentration through a semipermeable membrane
    • Passive diffusion
      Unassisted membrane transport
    • Selective permeability
      • High concentration to low concentration
      • Concentration gradient
    • Tonicity
      The response of cells or tissues immersed in the solution
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