Animal and Human Cell Biology Flashcards
(152 cards)
What does the plasma membrane contain?
Specific proteins, lipids and sugars, identified from fluorescent microscopy
What does the plasma membrane do?
Surround the cell
What are phospholipids?
Amphiphatic and make biomembranes
in the presence of water, phospholipids assemble to make a lipid bilayer
What affects membrane fluidity?
Steroids but also serve as hormones
Cholesterol reduces it at moderate temp and avoids solidification at low temp
Lipid composition also affects other features such as membrane curvature
What is cholesterol also used?
Vitamin D and hormoes
What is the idea of the fluid mosaic model?
Proteins swim in the lipid biolayer
Describe the plasma membrane
Fluid, plasma membrane of neuronal cell is pulled out with laser tweezers
What are lipid rafts?
membrane regions that assemble specialised lipids and proteins to perform a certain task
Transport across biomembranes
Semipermeable - uncharged and hydrophobic molecules can pass through the membrane, charged molecules cannot
Which proteins are embedded in membranes?
enzymes, receptors, cell-cell recognition, intracellular joining and attachment to extracellular matrix and intracellular cytoskeleton
Membrane potential
Channels cooperate to form a membrane potential over their plasma membrane
More positive charge outside and more negative inside
Non excitable i.e. epithelial cells don’t chain their potential but excitable ones can
What is membrane potential due to
difference in ion permeability of plasma membrane and the activity of the ion pumps
Establishing a resting membrane potential
Potassium leakage channel and sodium potassium pump
4 sodium ions pumped inside - 4 potassium and 7 sodium inside, 6 potassium and 1 sodium in, now potassium equal at 4 and 7 sodium inside and 1 outside
Cell to cell contact
Cells in epithelium establish tight lateral and basal contact
Resist forces, stick together to make sure there is no diffusion
What is a tight junction
Diffusion barrier, hold cells together, consist of plasma membrane proteins that interact, resisting liquid nature of the plasma membrane
What is an adherence junction
Consists of cadherin (bridge between cells) and catenin,(link to the actin cytoskeleton), appear to be involved in controlling actin organisation in epithelial cells, supporting strengthen and resistance against forces
What is a gap junction
Small channels, channels between the cells, each made of connexions, proteins cannot pass unless they are small, transport of ions, communication between cells, interacting very tightly
What is desmosome
Contain specialised Catherin proteins that interact with each other, stabilises the cell, resist shear force in epithelia and in muscle, linking to intermediate filaments
AS a bundle they can provide strength
Where are intemediate filaments not present?
In structures with a cell wall
Hemidesmosome
Half desmosome, don’t interact with another desmosome, they interact with the extracellular matrix, contain proteins including integrins, in skin epithelial cells, anchor epithelia cell to basal lamina
Extracellular matrix
fibres of secreted proteins (collagen, matrix proteins, glycoproteins), holds tissues together, provides strength directly cell migration
What do macrophages do?
Sniff the pathogen and hunt it down, find invaders
What happens when the actin on each cell interact?
They meet and internal reorganisation happens
A simple intracellular signalling pathway
Extracellular signal molecules, receptor protein, intracellular signalling proteins (kinases), effector proteins