Questions and Answers
What is the outer boundary of the cell?
Cell membrane
What are the main components of the cell membrane?
The cell membrane is impermeable to water-soluble substances.
False
The phospholipid ______ is the framework of the cell membrane.
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What do ion channels in the cell membrane allow?
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Name four types of ions that can move through ion channels.
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What function allows the cell to receive and respond to messages?
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Study Notes
Cell Membrane (Plasma)
- Functions as the outer boundary of the cell, providing structural support and protection.
- Maintains cell integrity by regulating internal conditions and preventing unwanted substances from entering.
- Characterized by its flexible, thin, and elastic properties, allowing for cell shape changes.
- Separates the intracellular fluid (cytosol) from extracellular fluid, maintaining distinct environments.
- Selectively permeable, controlling the entry and exit of ions, nutrients, and waste products.
- Facilitates signal transduction, enabling the cell to receive and respond to external signals and messages.
- Composed mainly of lipids and proteins, with carbohydrates playing a minor role in cell recognition and signaling.
- The phospholipid bilayer serves as the fundamental framework of the cell membrane.
- Cholesterol molecules embedded within the bilayer stabilize the membrane and reduce permeability to water-soluble substances.
Membrane Potential
- Ion channels are integral proteins that extend across the cell membrane and allow specific ions to pass through.
- These protein subunits can change shape (conformational changes) to open or close the channel, regulating ion flow.
- Ions such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride can move through these channels when they are open.
- Electrical potentials develop across membranes due to the unequal distribution of ions, contributing to the membrane's overall potential.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the structure and function of the cell membrane in this quiz. Topics include the cell membrane's characteristics, its role in maintaining cell integrity, and its selective permeability. Understand how the cell membrane contributes to signal transduction and its composition.
