INDEX: 11 A-Level Biology Topic 2
INDEX: 11 A-Level Biology Topic 2
INDEX: 11 A-Level Biology Topic 2
Some of the proteins (extrinsic proteins) act as enzymes, recognition sites and
electron carriers. The proteins also provide structural support for the membrane.
Branched chains of carbohydrates maybe attached to some phospholipid molecules
(glycolipids) or to proteins (glycoproteins).The carbohydrates act as recognition
sites for neurotransmitters, hormones or for cell to cell recognition. Cholesterol
makes the membranes less fluid and more stable. This model of cell surface
membrane is called the ‘fluid mosaic’ model. Fluid means that molecules can
change places within the membrane. Mosaic means that proteins are embedded
randomly in to the phospholipid bilayer.
Role:
• Selectively permeable membrane helps to prevent passage of some substances
and allow passage of other substances. This helps to maintain the appropriate
composition of the cytoplasm.
41. Understand how molecules and ions move into and out of cell
Molecules move in and out of cell across the selectively permeable cell membrane.
There are four basic processes, namely, diffusion, osmosis, active transport and
bulk transport (exocytosis and endocytosis). Diffusion and osmosis are passive
processes which use kinetic energy of molecules (not ATP), but active transport
and bulk transport are active processes, which use metabolic energy (ATP) from
the cell.
Factors affecting diffusion: The rate of diffusion across membranes depends on the
following factors.
a) - Surface area of membrane: rate of diffusion is directly proportional to surface
area.
b) - Difference in concentration across the membrane: rate of diffusion is directly
proportional to the concentration gradient.
c) – Thickness of membrane: rate of diffusion is inversely proportional to the
thickness of the membrane or the diffusion distance.
d) – Temperature: rate of diffusion is directly proportional to the temperature as the
kinetic energy of particles increase with temperature.
e) - Size of particles: Smaller / lighter particles diffuse faster. Substances that can
be exchanged by diffusion
• O2 and CO2 are non polar, small molecules which can diffuse rapidly across the
phospholipid bilayer.
• Ions and large polar molecules, like glucose , amino acids ,Na+, Cl- are repelled
by the hydrophobic region (fatty acid tails) of the phospholipids and diffuse across
extremely slowly, if at all.
• Steroid hormones are lipid soluble and can diffuse across the membrane easily.
Facilitated Diffusion:
Some ions (Na+, Ca2+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-) and polar molecules (Glucose, amino
acids) can diffuse through special transport proteins called channel proteins or
carrier proteins. Diffusion can occur through the channel in either direction. Since
diffusion would not be possible without these proteins the process is called
facilitated diffusion. The proteins that allow facilitated diffusion may be of two
kinds:
Channel Proteins:
These have a fixed shape and
allow a specific ion to pass
across the membrane. These
channels act as water filled
passages for specific
substances to diffuse across the
membrane. They allow
substances to flow in both
directions across the
membrane. However some of
these channels may be gated,
allowing substances to pass in
a specific direction.
Carrier Proteins:
They undergo rapid changes
in shape (about 100
times/sec).
These are useful to allow
larger polar molecules like
sugars and amino acids to
cross the membrane. When a
specific molecule binds with
the carrier protein at its
binding site, the protein
changes shape and delivers
the molecule across the
membrane.
understand what is meant by osmosis in terms of the movement of free water
molecules through a partially permeable membrane, down a water potential
gradient
Osmosis:
Is the net movement of water molecules form a region of higher water potential to
a region of lower water potential across a selectively permeable membrane. Water
potential is defined as the tendency of water molecules to move from one place to
another. It is represented by the symbol ¥ (psi). The unit of measurement is KPa.
There are two factors which affect the water potential.
Eg: Phagocytes (white blood cells engulf bacteria), amoeba engulfing prey.
Taking in of solid substances is Phagocytosis. Taking in of liquids is Pinocytosis.
Exocytosis:
This is the reverse of Endocytosis. It is the passage of materials out of the cell.
This method is often used for secretion of enzymes, hormones or mucus. The
secretory vesicles fuse with the cell surface membrane and release their contents to
the outside.