What are the fundamental constituents of the cell membrane, Biology

Assignment Help:

Q. What are the fundamental constituents of the cell membrane?

The cell membrane is formed of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins.

The membrane lipids are phospholipids, a special kind of lipid to which one extremity a phosphate group is bound thus assigning electrical charge to this region of the molecule Since phospholipids have one electrically charged extremity and a long neutral organic chain they can organize themselves in two layers of associated molecules the hydrophilic portion (polar) of each layer faces outwards in contact with water (a polar molecule too) of the extracellular and the intracellular space and the hydrophobic chains (non polar) face inwards isolated from the water. Because this type of membrane is made of two phospolipid layers it is also known as a bilipid membrane.

Membrane proteins are embed and dispersed in the compact bilipid structure. Carbohydrates appear in the outer surface of the membrane associated to some of those proteins under the form of bound to phospholipids forming glycolipids or glycoproteins. The membrane carbohydrates form the glycocalix of the membrane.

This description (with further explanations) is known as the fluid mosaic model as regards the structure of the cell membrane.


Related Discussions:- What are the fundamental constituents of the cell membrane

Digestion of carbohydrates, Digestion of carbohydrates Carbohydrate di...

Digestion of carbohydrates Carbohydrate digestion in vertebrates and invertebrates is very similar. All the enzymes shown in Table are not required by all animals. The enzymes

Explain about the weight cycling - energy balance, Explain about the Weight...

Explain about the Weight cycling - energy balance? There are a number of obese people who keep losing and gaining weight a number of times in their lives. This is called the Yo

Explain theory or principle of determination of coliforms, Explain Theory o...

Explain Theory or Principle of Determination of Coliforms? Coliforms are gram negative, non-spore forming, facultative anaerobic bacteria which produce acid and gas on lactose

Explain structure-activity relationships, Structure-activity relationships ...

Structure-activity relationships Structure-activity relationships may be useful to increase the weight-of-evidence or human health hazards identification. Where classes of comp

Illustrate physiological evidence, Q. Illustrate Physiological Evidence ? ...

Q. Illustrate Physiological Evidence ? Physiological and biochemical evidence is providing data of increasing importance to plant systematic. Recently, it has become apparent t

Why should an athletes take proteins, Why should an athletes take Proteins?...

Why should an athletes take Proteins? Proteins are basically taken for their ergogenic properties of enhancing endurance and increasing or maintaining muscle mass to improve st

Can you show downsloping st-segment, Q. Can you show Downsloping ST-Segment...

Q. Can you show Downsloping ST-Segment? The long term follow-up information suggests that patients whose ST depression evolves to downsloping have more severe disease than tho

Photosynthesis, explain the role of photophosphorylation and chemiosmosis i...

explain the role of photophosphorylation and chemiosmosis in photosynthesis

Nursing management of rheumatic fever, Nursing Management The overall ...

Nursing Management The overall goals are that patient with RH fever will resume daily activities without Joint pain, reduce the risk of residual cardiac disease, and plan a

Telementoring, TELEMENTORING Telementoring is used by a nursing teache...

TELEMENTORING Telementoring is used by a nursing teacher providing training/advice? to another nurse consultant at a remote site. The Internet has made teleconsultation and t

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd