Would anyone like to have a go at explaining the following:
1. What is meant by a phospholipid bilayer?
2. How do the terms hydrophilic and hydrophic fit in terms of the plasma membrane?
3. What do we mean when we refer to integral/cross membranous proteins?
4. What are the functions of:
a. Cross membrane proteins
b. Peripheral proteins on the inside of the cell and on the outside of the cell
c. Glycoproteins
d. Glycolipds
e. Glycocalyx.
lets start blogging!
I'll give it a go, feel free to correct me anyone. So the phospholipid bilayer is part of the cell membrane. It is made up of lipids and phosphorous ions. These components are divided up into tails (lipids) and heads (phosphorous), in relation to their nature. When I refer to nature I mean it in reference to whether it is hydrophilic, liking water, or hydrophobic, disliking water. In this instance, the phosphorous is hydrophilic, and the lipids are hydrophobic. It is because of this nature that the bilayer forms, as the lipid tails bond together and the phosphorous heads remain on the outside as they like water. Bilayer, meaning two layers, is occurring within the cell membrane, due to phosphorous being attracted to the presence of water, and as we know water is present within cells and outside cells, therefore attracting the phosphorous heads of the phospholipids; leaving the lipids in the space between.
ReplyDeleteWow Veronica I like the way you explained that! My understanding in simple terms of glycolipids are that they are a lipid that has a sugar (carbohydrate) attached the lipid sits within the biolayer and the carbohydrate sits out side .the membrane, the glycolipds help attract the correct cells that can attach to it. The glycoprotiens are a protien that sits with in the biolayer and a sugar (carbohydrate) attached to it that sits outside the biolayer the glycolipids are involved with the attachment to other cells. The glycocalyx is the made of the sugars (carbohydrates) that are attached to the protiens and lipids. Not sure if this is entirely correct can someone correct me if I'm not. I have no idea what the peripheral proteins do, or cross membrane proteins .
ReplyDeleteThis discussion is progressing very well and on the right track. Cassie, see if you can find out what the glycoproteins are responsible for and what do the glycoplipds do? Refer back to your cell diagram to give you a clue about what the peripheral proteins do on the inside of the cell, (hint: they help something to attach) and what they do on the outside of the cell (hint: they are usually attached to a transport molecule otherwise known as a transmembrane protein).
ReplyDeleteClever Ronnie!! A makes a lot more sense to me snow!
ReplyDelete