Cell Membrane
The fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane.
What is the fluid mosaic model?
The fluid mosaic model is a model conceived by S.J. Singer and Garth Nicolson in 1972 to describe the structural features of biological membranes.
The membrane is described to be fluid because of its hydrophobic integral components such as lipids and membrane proteins that move laterally or sideways throughout the membrane. That means the membrane is not solid, but more like a 'fluid'.
The membrane is depicted as mosaic because like a mosaic that is made up of many different parts the plasma membrane is composed of different kinds of macromolecules, such as integral proteins, peripheral proteins, glycoproteins, phospholipids, glycolipids, and in some cases cholesterol, lipoproteins.
The structure of the cell membrane.
The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell. The cell membrane is made up of 4 main components which are the phospholipid bilayer, membrane proteins, cholesterol and carbohydrates that are linked to some of the lipids.
The phospholipid bilayer.
The phospholipid bilayer is made up of phospholipid molecules that arrange themselves into two rows hence giving the name bilayer.
Cell
Phospholipid bilayer
Cell membrane
Phosphate
Lipid
Cell
Phospholipid bilayer
Cell membrane
Phosphate
Lipid
The phospholipids are made up of two parts a phosphate and a lipid. Phosphates are hydrophilic, which means they are attracted to water. The phosphate repels fat and fat soluble materials find it difficult to pass through. Lipids are hydrophobic, which means they repel water. The phospholipid layer does not let many things pass into or out of the cell. This then leads to the question of how substances pass into and out of the cell. Within the phospholipid bilayer there are proteins embedded which enable other molecules to cross into or out of the cell.
Cholesterol.
Cholesterol molecules are fitted in between the phospholipid bilayer molecules.
What is the fluid mosaic model?
The fluid mosaic model is a model conceived by S.J. Singer and Garth Nicolson in 1972 to describe the structural features of biological membranes.
The membrane is described to be fluid because of its hydrophobic integral components such as lipids and membrane proteins that move laterally or sideways throughout the membrane. That means the membrane is not solid, but more like a 'fluid'.
The membrane is depicted as mosaic because like a mosaic that is made up of many different parts the plasma membrane is composed of different kinds of macromolecules, such as integral proteins, peripheral proteins, glycoproteins, phospholipids, glycolipids, and in some cases cholesterol, lipoproteins.
The structure of the cell membrane.
The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell. The cell membrane is made up of 4 main components which are the phospholipid bilayer, membrane proteins, cholesterol and carbohydrates that are linked to some of the lipids.
The phospholipid bilayer.
The phospholipid bilayer is made up of phospholipid molecules that arrange themselves into two rows hence giving the name bilayer.
Cell
Phospholipid bilayer
Cell membrane
Phosphate
Lipid
Cell
Phospholipid bilayer
Cell membrane
Phosphate
Lipid
The phospholipids are made up of two parts a phosphate and a lipid. Phosphates are hydrophilic, which means they are attracted to water. The phosphate repels fat and fat soluble materials find it difficult to pass through. Lipids are hydrophobic, which means they repel water. The phospholipid layer does not let many things pass into or out of the cell. This then leads to the question of how substances pass into and out of the cell. Within the phospholipid bilayer there are proteins embedded which enable other molecules to cross into or out of the cell.
Cholesterol.
Cholesterol molecules are fitted in between the phospholipid bilayer molecules.