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Illustration of a eukaryotic cell membrane Comparison of a eukaryotic vs. a prokaryotic cell membrane. The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extracellular space).
Membrane biophysics is the study of biological membrane structure and function using physical, computational, mathematical, and biophysical methods.A combination of these methods can be used to create phase diagrams of different types of membranes, which yields information on thermodynamic behavior of a membrane and its components.
Cross-sectional view of the structures that can be formed by phospholipids in an aqueous solution. A biological membrane, biomembrane or cell membrane is a selectively permeable membrane that separates the interior of a cell from the external environment or creates intracellular compartments by serving as a boundary between one part of the cell and another.
Fluid mosaic model of a cell membrane. The fluid mosaic model explains various characteristics regarding the structure of functional cell membranes.According to this biological model, there is a lipid bilayer (two molecules thick layer consisting primarily of amphipathic phospholipids) in which protein molecules are embedded.
In 1972, S. Jonathan Singer and Garth Nicolson developed new ideas for membrane structure. Their proposal was the fluid mosaic model, which is one of the dominant models now. It has two key features—a mosaic of proteins embedded in the membrane, and the membrane being a fluid bi-layer of lipids.
The membranes are slightly different from cell to cell and a cell's function determines the size and structure of the ER. [18] Mitochondria: Commonly known as the powerhouse of the cell is a double membrane bound cell organelle. [19] This functions for the production of energy or ATP within the cell.
Schematic diagram of the 2D structure of aquaporin 1 depicting the six transmembrane alpha-helices and the five interhelical loop regions A-E The 3D structure of aquaporin Z highlighting the 'hourglass'-shaped water channel that cuts through the center of the protein. Aquaporin proteins are composed of a bundle of six transmembrane α-helices ...
Embedded in the membrane are proteins that perform the functions of the plasma membrane. The plasma membrane is not a fixed or rigid structure, the molecules that compose the membrane are capable of lateral movement. This movement and the multiple components of the membrane are why it is referred to as a fluid mosaic.