CELL MEMBRANE-STRUCTURE

SUMMARY

1. Semipermeable membrane whose permeability can be varied by numerous regulated ion channels and transport proteins embedded within. 2. Formed by amphipathic phospholipid molecules: possess a hydrophobic 'tail' end & hydrophilic 'head' end.
3. In eukaryotes (cells containing nuclei), cell membranes contain various glycosphingolipids, sphingomyelin, cholesterol, phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine.

OTHER PROPERTIES
4. The membrane is preferentially permiable to lipid-soluble substances, has low surface tension, and high electrical resistance.
5. The protein structure of membrances varies not only from cell to cell but also with the same cell.

Reference(s)

Barrett, K.E., Barman, S.M., Boitano, S., Brooks, H.L., Weitz, M., Brian Patrick Kearns, Ganong, W.F. and Mcgraw-Hill Education (Firm (2016). Ganong’s review of medical physiology. 25th ed. New York: Mcgraw Hill Education.
Hall, J.E. and Hall, M.E. (2020). Guyton And Hall Textbook Of Medical Physiology. 14th ed. S.L.: Elsevier - Health Science.
West, J.B. and Luks, A.M. (2021). West’s Pulmonary Pathophysiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.