Topic 1.3 Membrane Structure

1.3.
1 Phospholipids
Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Properties
● Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids that consist of a hydrophilic (attracted to water) head
and a hydrophobic (repelled by water) tail
● This property is described as Amphipathic
● The phospholipid head contains a negatively charged phosphate
group which because of its charge is attracted water because of its
polarity
● The fatty acid hydrocarbon tail has no charge and is therefore
repelled by water
● When placed in water, the phospholipids naturally form a double
layer with the heads facing outwards towards the water and the
tails facing each other inwards
● This forms a very stable structure that surrounds the cell because
of the attractions and bonds that are formed between the heads to
the water and to each other and the hydrophobic interactions
between the tails
● Even though it is a very stable structure, it is still fluid, as the
phospholipids can move along the horizontal plane
● To increase stability, many cells have cholesterol embedded between the phospholipids
1.3.2 Membrane Proteins
Structure of Membrane Proteins
The amino acids of a membrane protein are localized according to polarity:
■ Non-polar (hydrophobic) amino acids associate directly with the lipid

bilayer
■ Polar (hydrophilic) amino acids are located internally and face aqueous
solutions
Transmembrane proteins typically adopt one of two tertiary structures:
■ Single helices / helical bundles

■ Beta barrels (common in channel proteins)
Functions of Membrane Proteins
Membrane proteins can serve a variety of key functions:
■ Junctions – Serve to connect and join two cells together

■ Enzymes – Fixing to membranes localises metabolic pathways
■ Transport – Responsible for facilitated diffusion and active transport
■ Recognition – May function as markers for cellular identification
■ Anchorage – Attachment points for cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix
■ Transduction – Function as receptors for peptide hormones
1.3.3 Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a component of animal cell

membranes, where it functions to maintain integrity
and mechanical stability
■ It is absent in plant cells, as these plasma

membranes are surrounded and supported
by a rigid cell wall made of cellulose
Cholesterol is an amphipathic molecule (like

phospholipids), meaning it has both hydrophilic and
hydrophobic regions
■ Cholesterol’s hydroxyl (-OH) group is hydrophilic and aligns towards the phosphate
heads of phospholipids
■ The remainder of the molecule (steroid ring and hydrocarbon tail) is hydrophobic and
associates with the phospholipid tails
Phospholipid bilayers are fluid, in that the phospholipids are in constant movement relative to
one another
Cholesterol interacts with the fatty acid tails of phospholipids to moderate the properties of the
membrane:
■ Cholesterol functions to immobilise the outer surface of the membrane, reducing fluidity
■ It makes the membrane less permeable to very small water-soluble molecules that
would otherwise freely cross
■ It functions to separate phospholipid tails and so prevent crystallisation of the
membrane
■ It helps secure peripheral proteins by forming high density lipid rafts capable of
anchoring the protein
1.3.4 Fluid Mosaic Model
Components of the Plasma Membrane
Phospholipids – Form a bilayer with phosphate heads facing

outwards and fatty acid tails facing inwards
Cholesterol – Found in animal cell membranes and functions

to improve stability and reduce the fluidity
Proteins – May be either integral (transmembrane) or

peripheral and serve a variety of roles
Phospholipid Structure
Phospholipids may vary in the length and relative saturation

of the fatty acid tails
■ Shorter fatty acid tails will increase fluidity as they are less viscous and more
susceptible to changes in kinetic energy
■ Lipid chains with double bonds (unsaturated fatty acids) have kinked hydrocarbon tails
that are harder to pack together
Cholesterol
Cholesterol acts as a bi-directional regulator of membrane fluidity
■ At high temperatures it stabilises the membrane and raises the melting point
■ At low temperatures it intercalates between the phospholipids and prevents clustering

Topic 1.3 Membrane Structure

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1.3.

Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Properties

Structure of Membrane Proteins

The amino acids of a membrane protein are localized according to polarity:

■ Non-polar (hydrophobic) amino acids associate directly with the lipid

■ Single helices / helical bundles

Functions of Membrane Proteins

Membrane proteins can serve a variety of key functions:

■ Junctions – Serve to connect and join two cells together

Cholesterol is a component of animal cell

■ It is absent in plant cells, as these plasma

Cholesterol is an amphipathic molecule (like

Components of the Plasma Membrane

Phospholipids – Form a bilayer with phosphate heads facing

Cholesterol – Found in animal cell membranes and functions

Proteins – May be either integral (transmembrane) or

Phospholipids may vary in the length and relative saturation

Cholesterol acts as a bi-directional regulator of membrane fluidity

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