Structure and Function of Biological Membranes

?
  • Created by: LucyLaa
  • Created on: 13-10-18 18:58
What is the plasma membrane?
A cell boundary that controls movement in and out of cells
1 of 22
What do organelle membranes do?
Divide cytoplasm into compartments?
2 of 22
What are endosomes?
Membrane-bound vesicles (endocytosis = reverse exocytosis)
3 of 22
What is an Acinar cell?
Outward facing cells of the pancreas that produce and transport digestion enzymes
4 of 22
Give an example of a plasma membrane adaptation in the eye
Long protusions for the high sensitivity area
5 of 22
What is a polarised cell?
Where the composition of the apical membrane differs from the basal lateral membrane
6 of 22
Why do we study membranes?
It helps us to understand a diverse range of behaviours
7 of 22
Name 3 fundamental properties of membranes
Barrier; flexible and self-repairing ; selectively permeable; continuous
8 of 22
What are optical tweezers? What do they demonstrate about the membrane?
A laser beam that can pick up a piece of membrane and move it along a tubule --> demonstrates elastic capabilities
9 of 22
What are the basic components of a membrane?
Lipids (phospholipids, cholesterol and sterols); proteins; carbohydrates (glycoproteins and glycolipids
10 of 22
What property makes phospholipids effective components of the bilayer?
Amphipathic --> polar head, hydrophobic tail
11 of 22
True or false: Phospholipids can only be saturated
False --> Phospholipids can be cis unsaturated, and kinked
12 of 22
Are linear hydrocarbon chains always an even or odd number?
Even (12-22)
13 of 22
Name a major membrane phospholipid
Phosphatidyl-ethanolamine; phosphatidyl-serine; phosphatidyl-choline; sphingo-myelin
14 of 22
Which phospholipid is negatively charged and important for apoptosis?
Phosphatidyl-serine
15 of 22
Is the proportion of phospholipids the same in every membrane?
No.
16 of 22
What does cholesterol do to a membrane?
Stabilises it and prevents phospholipids coalescing together
17 of 22
What is the structure of cholesterol?
Polar head group; rigid steroid ring structure; non-polar hydrocarbon tail
18 of 22
What are phosphoinositides used for?
Protein interaction
19 of 22
How can you form liposomes?
Sonificate cells
20 of 22
What are liposomes used for?
Drug delivery; delivery of DNA/RNA into cells for GM; Cosmetic industry
21 of 22
Is the bilayer neat or messy?
Very messy --> fluidity inherent in a muddled structure
22 of 22

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What do organelle membranes do?

Back

Divide cytoplasm into compartments?

Card 3

Front

What are endosomes?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is an Acinar cell?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Give an example of a plasma membrane adaptation in the eye

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

Comments

No comments have yet been made

Similar Biology resources:

See all Biology resources »See all Cell and Molecular Biology resources »