Plasma Membrane
Definition
The plasma membrane is a thin layer that separates the inside of cells from their environment. It controls what enters or leaves the cell.
Analogy
Imagine the plasma membrane as a bouncer at an exclusive club. It decides who gets in (nutrients) and who gets out (waste products).
Related terms
Cell Wall: A rigid layer lying outside the plasma membrane of plant cells, fungi, bacteria; provides support and protection.
Lipid Bilayer: A universal component of all cell membranes; it's composed mainly of phospholipids arranged into two layers.
Cytoplasm: The material within a living cell, excluding the nucleus.
"Plasma Membrane" appears in:
Study guides (7)
Practice Questions (10)
The structure of biological molecules determines how they behave. In a cell's plasma membrane the saturation of carbon found in the fatty acid tails can change membrane flexibility. Which statement best explains this?
To be embedded in the plasma membrane, a channel protein must be __ on its exterior surface.
Phospholipid __ are at the surface of the plasma membrane bilayer, while the __ are in the internal portion of the bilayer.
A small amount of water ______ pass through the plasma membrane without assistance
Which of the following is a function of the plasma membrane?
What is the main structural component of the plasma membrane?
Which type of protein is embedded within the plasma membrane?
What is the role of carbohydrates on the plasma membrane?
Which of the following substances can freely pass through the plasma membrane?
Which of the following is a function of the plasma membrane?
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