cell membrane?

Question

what is the cell membranes function? i know that it protects the cell and gives it structure and that it also allows transportation into and out of the cell. Is there anything that I am missing? Also, what are the components of the cell membrane? Thanks!

Answer 1

Functions of cell membranes
* Controlling what goes in and out of the cell.
* Anchoring of the cytoskeleton to provide shape to the cell
* Attaching to the extracellular matrix to help group cells together in the formation of tissues
* Transportation of particles by way of ion pumps, ion channels, and carrier proteins
* Containing receptors that allow chemical messages to pass between cells and systems
* Participation in enzyme activity important in such things as metabolism and immunity

The cell membrane consists of three classes of amphipathic lipids: phospholipids, glycolipids, and steroids. The relative composition of each depends upon the type of cell, but in the majority of cases phospholipids are the most abundant.
The fatty acid chains in phospholipids and glycolipids usually contain an even number of carbon atoms, typically between 14 and 24. The 16- and 18-carbon fatty acids are the most common. Fatty acids may be saturated or unsaturated, with the configuration of the double bonds nearly always cis. The length and the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids chains have a profound effect on membranes fluidity

The cell membrane plays host to a large amount of protein which is responsible for its various activities.Three groups of membrane proteins can be identified:Integral proteins ,Lipid anchored proteins ,Peripheral proteins

Answer 2

A cellular wall is a quite inflexible layer surrounding a cellular, positioned exterior to the cellular membrane, that substances the cellular with structural help, protection, and a filtering mechanism. The cellular wall also prevents over-enlargement even as water enters the cellular. they are modern-day in flora, micro organism, archaea, fungi, and algae. Animals and maximum protists do no longer have cellular walls. The cellular membrane (also stated as the plasma membrane or plasmalemma) is a semipermeable lipid bilayer common to all residing cells. It includes a variety of organic and organic molecules, more often than not proteins and lipids, that are all in favour of an countless array of cellular strategies, and also serves because the attachment aspect for both the intracellular cytoskeleton and, if modern-day, the cellular wall.

Answer 3

it also acts as an ID tag (mainly the glycoproteins and glycolipids)

and you mentioned allowing transportation, but it SELECTIVELY allows transportation, protecting the cell from harmful substances

further, there are some proteins on it that function in signal transduction, by receiving signals.

the cell membrane is a lipid bilayer, made up of lipids with a hydrophilic head pointing outwards and a hydrophobic tail on the inside. There is cholesterol to make the membrane rigid. it also has proteins (both peripheral and integral), glycoproteins and glycolipids

Answer 4

Not only does it allow transportation of materials into and out of the cell, but it helps determine which materials will be able to enter or leave. That's the selectively permeable nature of the plasma membrane.

The plasma membrane also contains the proteins that act as a "uniform" for the organism to be able to recognize its own cells and recognize cells that don't belong to it. Proteins on the inside surface of the plasma membrane act as an anchor point for the cytoskeleton.

The cell membranes main components are:
a. phospholipid bilayer that makes up the main structure
b. proteins for transport (channel, transport, ...)
c. proteins and carbohydrates on outer surface for recognition
d. proteins on inner surface for anchoring cytoskeleton
e. cholesterol to keep the lipid tails of the phospholipids from sticking together

Answer 5

You basically named it. It's the cell's "skin," it holds the cell's contents together.

The cell membrane is composed of what is called the phosphlopid bilayer. These are molecules that have a head that is attracted to water and two tails (on the same side) that are repelled by water. For this reason, they arrange themselves in two level layer, with the water-loving heads on the outside and the water-hating tails on the inside. This eventually forms a sphere, like a soap bubble, which surrounds the cell's contents. Here is an illustration with "Os" as the heads and "||" as the tails. There are transport channels and protiens imbedded within this bilayer.

Phosphlipid Molecule:
O - Head (Attracted to water, Phosphate Group)
|| - Two Tails (Repelled by Water, Fatty Acid chains)

Outside Cell

OOOOOOOOO - Phospholipid Bilayer
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
OOOOOOOOO

Inside Cell

Here's a link with a more detailed explanation.

Answer 6

It contains a variety of biological molecules, primarily proteins and lipids, which are involved in a vast array of cellular processes. It also serves as the attachment point for both the intracellular cytoskeleton and, if present, the cell wall.

Answer 7

Functions of cell membranes:
1. Regulate material moving into and out of the cell, and from one part of the cell to another.
2. Separate the inside of the cell to the outside.
3. Separate various organelles within the cell.
4. Provide a large surface area on which specific chemical reactions can occur.
5. Separate cells from one another.
6. Are site for receptors containing cell identification marksers that differentiate one cell type from another.
The ability of the plasma membrane to let some substances in and others out is called selective permeability (L. permeare or per, through +meare, pass) and is essential for maintaining a steady state within the cell.

Answer 8

http://cellbio.utmb.edu/cellbio/membrane.htm