Biology, Seventh Edition Solomon • Berg • Martin

Chapter 5

Biological
Membranes

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Biological membranes
• Complex, dynamic structures made of
lipid and protein molecules
• Perform many functions
– Define cell as a compartment
– Regulate passage of materials
– Participate in chemical reactions
– Transmit signals between cell interior and
the environment
– Act as part of energy transfer and storage

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Biological membranes
• Physically separate cell interior from
extracellular environment
• Form compartments within eukaryotic
cells
• Plasma membrane
– Regulates passage of materials
– Participates in biochemical reactions
– Receives information about environment
– Communicates with other cells

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Phospholipids form bilayers in water

Phospholipids in water Detergent in water

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Fluid mosaic model

• Membranes consist of fluid
phospholipid bilayer with a mosaic
pattern of associated proteins
• Phospholipid molecules are
amphipathic and contain
– Hydrophobic regions
– Hydrophilic regions

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Plasma membrane of mammalian red blood cell

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Membrane properties
• Orderly arrangement of phospholipid
molecules make the cell membrane a
liquid crystal
– Allow molecules to move rapidly
– Proteins move within membrane
• Lipid bilayers are
– Flexible
– Self-sealing
– Can fuse with other membranes

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Detailed structure of the plasma membrane

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Integral membrane proteins

• Embedded in the bilayer
• Transmembrane proteins
• Integral proteins that extend
completely through the membrane
• Peripheral member proteins
• Associated with the surface of the
bilayer

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Membrane proteins, lipids, and

carbohydrates
• Asymmetrically positioned to bilayer
• Sides have different composition and
structure
• Function of member proteins
– Transport of materials
– Acting as enzymes or receptors
– Cell recognition
– Structurally linking cells

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Asymmetry of the plasma membrane

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Functions of membrane proteins

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Membranes are selectively

permeable
• Physical processes
– Osmosis
– Diffusion
• Carrier-mediated processes
– Channel proteins
– Carrier proteins

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Diffusion: net movement of a substance

from a region of greater to lower
concentration

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Osmosis: water
passes through
selectively
permeable
membrane
from region of
higher
concentration
to lower

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Osmotic pressure
• Concentration of dissolved substances in
a solution
• Isotonic: equal solute concentration
• Hypertonic: loses water in plasmolysis
• Hypotonic: gains water and swells
• Turgor pressure
• Internal hydrostatic pressure in walled
cells

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Response
of animal
cells to
osmotic
pressure

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Turgor
pressure
and
plasmolysis

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Facilitated diffusion
• Occurs down a concentration gradient
• Active transport
• Moves ions or molecules against a
concentration gradient
• Cotransport
• ATP-powered pump maintains a
concentration gradient

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Sodium-potassium
pump

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Cells expend metabolic energy to

carry on physiological processes
• Exocytosis
• Endocytosis
– Phagocytosis
– Pinocytosis
– Receptor-mediated endocytosis

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Exocytosis

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Phagocytosis

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Pinocytosis

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Receptor-mediated endocytosis
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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Cells communicate by cell

signaling
• Signaling molecules include
• Neurotransmitters
• Hormones
• Regulatory molecules

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Cell signaling involves

• Synthesis and release of signaling
molecule
• Transport to target cells
• Reception by target cells
• Signal transduction
• Response by the cell
• Termination of signal

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Signal
transduction

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning

Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

• Cells in close contact often

develop intercellular junctions
• Anchoring junctions
– Desmosomes
– Adhering junctions
• Tight junctions
• Gap junctions
• Plasmodesmata

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Desmosomes

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Tight
junctions

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Gap junctions

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Biology, Seventh Edition CHAPTER 5 Biological Membranes

Plasmodesmata

Copyright © 2005 Brooks/Cole — Thomson Learning