Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The lipid bilayer (or phospholipid bilayer) is a thin polar membrane made of two layers of lipid molecules. These membranes are flat sheets that form a continuous barrier around all cells . The cell membranes of almost all organisms and many viruses are made of a lipid bilayer, as are the nuclear membrane surrounding the cell nucleus , and ...
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.
Response to technical concerns. Cholesterol can bind to proteins covalently (e.g. hedgehog protein). Each leaflet can have a different glycolipid composition, as well as phospholipid composition (see Flippase). A large fraction of membrane proteins are glycoproteins, globular or no. Agree re the helix looking clunky, but overall it looks ...
The phospholipid bilayer structure (fluid mosaic model) with specific membrane proteins accounts for the selective permeability of the membrane and passive and active transport mechanisms. In addition, membranes in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria and chloroplasts of eukaryotes facilitate the synthesis of ATP through chemiosmosis.
In biological membranes, the phospholipids often occur with other molecules (e.g., proteins, glycolipids, sterols) in a bilayer such as a cell membrane. [7] Lipid bilayers occur when hydrophobic tails line up against one another, forming a membrane of hydrophilic heads on both sides facing the water. [8]
This image is a derivative work of the following images: Image:Cell_membrane_detailed_diagram_3.svg licensed with Cc-by-sa-3.0 . 2008-06-13T14:41:45Z Dhatfield 1973x1532 (498192 Bytes) {{Information |Description=The cell membrane, also called the plasma membrane or plasmalemma, is a semipermeable lipid bilayer common to all living cells.
The bilayer formed by membrane lipids serves as a containment unit of a living cell. Membrane lipids also form a matrix in which membrane proteins reside. Historically lipids were thought to merely serve a structural role. Functional roles of lipids are in fact many: They serve as regulatory agents in cell growth and adhesion.
Phospholipid bilayers contain different proteins. These membrane proteins have various functions and characteristics and catalyze different chemical reactions. Integral proteins span the membranes with different domains on either side. [6] Integral proteins hold strong association with the lipid bilayer and cannot easily become detached. [9]