5 Questions
What is the most important function of the plasma membrane?
To serve as a selective barrier through which materials enter and exit the cell.
What is the term used to describe the property of plasma membranes that allows certain molecules and ions to pass through while preventing others?
Selective permeability or semipermeability.
Why can't large molecules, such as proteins, pass through the plasma membrane?
Possibly because these molecules are larger than the pores in integral proteins that function as channels.
Which types of molecules usually pass through the plasma membrane?
Smaller molecules such as water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and some simple sugars.
What is the term used to describe the property of allowing smaller molecules to pass through the plasma membrane?
Permeability.
Study Notes
Plasma Membrane Functions
- The most important function of the plasma membrane is to regulate what enters and leaves the cell.
Selective Permeability
- The property of plasma membranes that allows certain molecules and ions to pass through while preventing others is called selective permeability.
Permeability of Large Molecules
- Large molecules, such as proteins, cannot pass through the plasma membrane due to their size.
- They are too big to diffuse across the membrane.
Types of Molecules that Pass Through
- Small molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, usually pass through the plasma membrane.
- These molecules are small enough to diffuse across the membrane.
Property of Allowing Small Molecules
- The property of allowing smaller molecules to pass through the plasma membrane is also referred to as permeability.
- It allows the cell to exchange materials with its environment.
Test your knowledge on prokaryotic cell membrane structure and function with this quiz. Learn about the important functions of the plasma membrane and its role as a selective barrier.
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