Chapter Four: Cell Structure and Membranes Flashcards
(108 cards)
What is the diameter range of cells?
1-100 um in diameter
Why are cells small?
they must exchange materials with the environment and cell exchanges are limited by surface area. As cell size increases, cell volume increases more than surface area
T/F Diffusion is fast over long distances?
False
As a sphere gets larger, the surface area, volume ratio _______
decreases
What physical factors influence the rate of diffusion of each solute?
diameter of the molecules or ions, electrical charge, the temperature of the solution, concentration gradient
What are the functions of biological membranes?
boundaries, regulation, intracellular transportation, cell identification/communication/adhesion, contain & restrict some biochemical reactions
What do the proteins floating in the bilayer do?
serve as gates and pumps for substances and carry out biochemical reactions
Why do carbohydrates attach to lipids or proteins on the outer surface of the plasma membrane?
To assist with cell-cell recognition and adhesion
How do fatty acids influence a phospholipid bilayer?
They make the bilayer both flexible and fluid
What kind of interactions do lipids and proteins have, and what result does that have?
weak hydrophobic interactions causing proteins to move laterally in the bilayer; only a few of them are covalently attached to membrane lipids
T/F Membranes can’t flip from one side of the bilayer to the other
F; They can, its just very rare
What is the degree of membrane fluidity influenced by
lipid composition, temperature
short, unsaturated chains ______ fluidity
increases
_______ alters interactions among fatty acid side chains
cholesterol
fluidity ______ in cold conditions
decreases
How will two different proteins distribute in a membrane?
They will fully intermix into an equilibrium
Cell membranes have _____ permeability
selective
Passive transport
movement by diffusion; no outside energy required; concentration gradient is the driving force (simple and facilitated diffusion)
simple diffusion
directly across the phospholipid bilayer
facilitated diffusion
across a membrane via channel or carrier proteins
Active transport
movement against a concentration gradient; via a protein pump that requires energy to operate
What is diffusion?
the net movement from regions of greater concentration to regions of lesser concentration until equilibrium is reached
Which molecules undergo simple diffusion?
O2, CO2, and a small, nonpolar, lipid-soluble molecules can cross the membrane unaided
At what rate do steroid molecules, small hydrophilic proteins, and large hydrophilic molecules move through the membrane is simple diffusion?
steroid molecules – rapidly
a small protein – slower
large molecule – very slow