Cell membrane structure

All cells have a surrounding membrane, and in eukaryotic cells many of the organelles
inside the cell have their own membranes to separate them from each other. Other than
separating cell components from each other, cell membranes have a number of other
purposes:

they separate the cell contents from each other and the cells outside
environment
they are involved in cell recognition and signaling
they control the transport of certain materials going into or coming out of the cell

The basic structure of all cell surface membranes is the same. They consist of a number
of arranged phospholipids.
A phospholipid consists of a phosphate head which is very hydrophilic (water-loving),
attached to two fatty acid tails which are hydrophobic (water-hating). When the
phospholipids are mixed with water, they arrange themselves in a layer at the surface of
the water with the hydrophobic tails sticking out, as shown by below.
If phospholipids become completely surrounded by water, a phospholipid bilayer can
form. Phosphate heads on each side of the bilayer stick into the water, while the
hydrophobic fatty acid tails point towards each other in the centre. This means the
hydrophobic tails are held away from the water molecules. In this state, the
phospholipid molecules can move freely, just as fluid molecules do. This
phospholipid bilayer is the basic structure of all biological membranes.
A simple phospholipid bilayer would be incapable of performing all of the functions of
biological membranes. It would also be too fragile to function as a barrier within or
around cells. Other components are needed to make it a fully-functional biological
membrane.
All membranes are permeable to water because water molecules can diffuse through
the lipid bilayer. Some membranes are up to 1000 times more permeable to water
because they contain aquaporins (protein channels that allow water molecules through
them). Cell membranes that are permeable only to water and some solutes are
described as partially permeable membranes.
Why is it called the fluid mosaic model?
The plasma membrane is described to be fluid because of the lipids and membrane
proteins that can move freely. The membrane is called mosaic because like a mosaic
that is made up of many different parts so is the plasma membrane, eg. Proteins,
cholesterol, carbohydrates.

The fluid mosaic model shows the components found in a membrane. It is now widely
accepted as the model which explains how membranes form and function. Its main
features are:
a phospholipid bilayer giving its basic structure

various protein molecules floating around in the bilayer, some completely free,
others bound to other components

some proteins (extrinsic) partially embedded in the bilayer on the inside or the
outside face, other proteins (intrinsic) completely spanning the bilayer

When a phospholipid has a carbohydrate part attached to it, it is called a

glycolipid.
When a protein has a carbohydrate part attached to it, it is called a glycoprotein.

The cholesterol gives the membranes of many eukaryotic cells some

mechanical stability. This steroid fits nicely between the fatty acid tails and
makes the barrier more complete, so that water molecules and other substances
cannot pass through the membrane so easily.
Channel proteins allow the movement of some substances across the
membrane. Molecules of sugars, such as glucose, are too large and too
hydrophilic to pass directly through the membrane and so they use these channel
proteins instead.
Carrier proteins actively move substances around the membrane.
Other features found on membranes might include receptor sites. These can
allow hormones to bind with the cell so that a cell response can be carried out.
These are also important in allowing drugs to bind, and so affect metabolism.
Enzymes and coenzymes are also present, which are used in some stages of
respiration (in the membranes of the mitochondrion) and in photosynthesis (in the
membranes of the chloroplasts).

MEMBRANES AND TEMPERATURE

Increasing the temperature gives molecules more kinetic energy, so they move faster.
This increased movement of phospholipids and other components makes membranes
leaky, which allows substances that would normally not do so to enter or leave the cell.
Organisms that live in very hot or very cols environments need differently adapted
molecular components of their membranes, for example the cholesterol content, so that
their membranes can perform the functions needed to maintain life.

Phospholipid bilayer:

The cell surface membrane consists of a bilayer that contains two layers of
phospholipids.

In a phospholipid there are two fatty acids and a negatively charged phosphate
group.

the phosphate head of the molecule is polar one end is slightly positive and the other
negative

so this makes the phosphate head attract other polar molecules like water so it is
hydrophilic

fatty acid tails are non-polar so they are hydrophobic

Cells are filled with watery cytoplasm and are surrounded by aqueous tissue fluid. So
the phospholipids form a bilayer. This stops the hydrophobic fatty acids tails from being
in contact with the water on both sides of the membrane and ensures that the
hydrophilic phosphate heads are in contact with the water.