Cell Membranes Of Proteins And Proteins Essay

Introduction: The biological membranes are composed of phospholipid bilayers, each phospholipid with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails, and proteins. This arrangement of the proteins and lipids produces a selectively permeable membrane. Many kinds of molecules surround or are contained within

Phospholipids make up most of the cell membrane, in a phospholipid bilayer. Phospholipid molecules form two layers, with the hydrophilic (water loving) head facing the extracellular fluid and the cytosol (intracellular) fluid, and the hydrophobic (not water loving) tails facing one another. The cell membrane is constructed in such a way that it is semipermeable, and allows oxygen, CO2 and lipid soluble molecules through easily, while other molecules like glucose, amino acids, water, and ions cannot pass through quite as easily. That is the meaning behind the chant “some things can pass, others cannot!”.

The endoplasmic reticulum is specialised for protein processing and lipid biosynthesis. One of its primary functions is to regulate the ionic concentration in the cytoplasm via the movement of Ca2+, via ionic pumps and channels. It also contains enzymes responsible for the metabolising of drugs. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) can come in two forms. As depicted in Fig. 2 Rough ER has ribosomes present as part of the membrane of the organelle, and together with these ribosomes takes polypeptides and amino acids from the cytosol and synthesises proteins destined for attachment to cell membranes. It is in the lumen of the rough ER that the proteins are folded into the specific three dimensional shapes that are so important for biochemical recognition and linking sites [6]. It is called rough because of the presence of ribosomes makes the surface of the membrane look rough, unlike smooth ER, which lacks the ribosomes so the membrane looks smooth. Rough ER is composed of a large but convoluted flattened sac. The main function of the smooth ER is the production of lipids and the metabolism of compounds (such as the breakdown of glycogen into glucose). Because of the different functions between the rough and smooth ER, different specialised cells will have different amounts of each; for example, hepatic

You may use the lab manual, pre-lab lectures, and credible internet resources, however you may not use your cell bio lab classmates as a resource. You will most likely see this material again on the Final and I highly encourage you to work individually and seek help from myself or your TA. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero.

The lipids found in cell membranes belong to a class known as triglycerides, so called because they have one molecule of glycerol chemically linked to three molecules of fatty acids. The majority belong to one subgroup of triglycerides known as phospholipids. The cell membrane is made up of a phospholipid bilayer. The hydrophobic tails of the detergent molecules are taken up by this bilayer.

The plasma membrane surrounds all eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells have membrane bounded organelles whereas prokaryotic cells do not. The plasma membrane forms the boundary between the cell cytoplasm and the environment. Its function are to allow different environments to be established inside and outside the cell. It also controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell.

P1 – Describe the microstructure of a typical animal cell and the functions of the main cell components. A typical animal cell is seen as a tiny, three dimensional sac which is in fact made up of many components, each as important as the other. The microstructure of an animal cell was in fact uncovered mainly through the use of both cell fractionation and electron microscopy. Each main component has its own, individual function which helps a cell to function and maintains the cell membrane. The components that I will be describing include the cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria, lysosomes, Golgi bodies, centrioles, endoplasmic reticulum (both smooth and rough) and ribosomes.

Introduction: Cell membranes contain many different types of molecules which have different roles in the overall structure of the membrane. Phospholipids form a bilayer, which is the basic structure of the membrane. Their non-polar tails form a barrier to most water soluble substances. Membrane proteins serves as channels for transport of metabolites, some act as enzymes or carriers, while some are receptors. Lastly carbohydrate molecules of the membrane are relatively short-chain polysaccharides, which has multiple functions, for example, cell-cell recognition and acting as receptor sites for chemical signals.

Proteins are polymeric chains that are built from monomers called amino acids. All structural and functional properties of proteins derive from the chemical properties of the polypeptide chain. There are four levels of protein structural organization: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Primary structure is defined as the linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain. The secondary structure refers to certain regular geometric figures of the chain. Tertiary structure results from long-range contacts within the chain. The quaternary structure is the organization of protein subunits, or two or more independent polypeptide chains.

(a.) Lipids are the foundation of membranes. They are carbon-containing compounds that are found in organisms and are largely nonpolar and hydrophobic.

Campbell and Farrell define proteins as polymers of amino acids that have been covalently joined through peptide bonds to form amino acid chains (61). A short amino acid chain comprising of thirty amino acids forms a peptide, and a longer chain of amino acids forms a polypeptide or a protein. Each of the amino acids making up a protein, has a fundamental design that comprises of a central carbon or alpha carbon that is bonded to a hydrogen element, an amino grouping, a carboxyl grouping, and a unique side chain or the R-group (Campbell and Farrell 61).

The Functions of Proteins Introduction Protein accounts for about three-fourths of the dry matter in human tissues other than fat and bone. It is a major structural component of hair, skin, nails, connective tissues, and body organs. It is required for practically every essential function in the body. Proteins are made from the following elements; carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and often sulphur and phosphorus.

The lipids found in the membrane are known as phospholipids. Phospholipids are fat derivatives in which one fatty acid has been replaced by a phosphate group and one of several nitrogen-containing molecules. The phospholipids’ structure is such that it appears to have a ‘head’ attached to a ‘tail’. The head section of the lipid is made of a glycerol group which is then attached to an ionised

The cell membrane consists of eight distinctive parts that each have their own unique structure and function. The phospholipid bilayer is an integral part of the cell membrane because it is the external layer of the cell membrane and composes the barriers that isolate the internal cell components and organelles from the extracellular environment. It is composed of a series of phospholipids that have a hydrophobic region and a hydrophilic region. These regions are composed of the hydrophilic heads and the hydrophobic tails of the phospholipids, this organization of the polar heads and nonpolar tails allows the heads of the cell to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules while the tails are able to avoid water. The phospholipid bilayer also has many important functions within the cell, it gives the cell shape, provides protection, and it is selectively permeable which allows it to only let very specific molecules pass through its surface. The phospholipid bilayer is an important structure because it prevents harmful and unwanted molecules from entering the cell and isolates organelles which helps to maintain the internal environmental homeostasis of the cell.

Mitochondria and chloroplasts have two membranes that surround them. The inner membrane is probably from the engulfed bacterium and this is supported by that the enzymes and proteins are most like their counterparts in prokaryotes. The outer membrane is formed from the plasma membrane or endoplasmic reticulum of the host cell. The electron transport enzymes and the H+ ATPase are only found in the mitochondria and chloroplasts of the eukaryotic cell. (2)