Organelle Blog

 Plasma Membrane 

  Also known as the Cell Membrane

Structure of the Plasma Membrane:

The plasma membrane is made of phospholipids. The phospholipids are arranged in a bilayer, with the nonpolar tails inside the membrane and the polar head facing outwards. While, the polar head of the phospholipid is hydrophilic, which means it loves water; the nonpolar tails are hydrophobic. The phospholipids bilayer surrounds the whole cell. The plasma membrane consists of both lipids and proteins. The lipids (cholesterol) are found in the cell membrane and they give the plasma membrane extra support. The proteins could be found in or on the membrane. There are peripheral proteins which are outside of the plasma membrane and there are integral proteins which are in or on the membrane.

 Functions of the Plasma Membrane: 

The main function of the plasma membrane is to protect the cell from its outer surroundings. It is like a barrier that protects the elements that are inside the cell, intracellular, to the elements that are outside the cell, extracellular. The plasma membrane is semipermeable, which means only selected molecules can pass through [both entering and exiting] the cell by osmosis. The cholesterol in the plasma membrane helps by increasing the fluidity at low temperatures and decreasing the fluidity when it’s high. The integral proteins function as transporters and the peripheral proteins function as enzymes.

Biomolecules of the Plasma Membrane: 

If the plasma membrane stops working, the cell would not be able to exchange information with its surroundings. The components inside the cell will then disappear and the cell will die.

Fact: 

 Phospholipids have two tails, and those two tails are made up of fatty acids. The tails are either made of unsaturated fatty acids or saturated fatty acids.

How they work with others:

 - Golgi Apparatus: The golgi apparatus packages molecules and sends them to the cell membrane through vesicles, where they get released.
- Cytoplasm: The cytoplasm helps the cytoskeleton move protein-carrying vesicles from the golgi apparatus to the cell membrane. 
- Mitochondria: The plasma membrane helps by allowing materials needed for the mitochondria, to generate energy, in. 
- Vesicles: Vesicles transports substances in or out of the cell. 
- Lysosomes: The lysosomes protect the cell from viruses and bacterias that breach the cell membrane.

 Source List:  

1. https://ncerthelp.com/text.php?contype=Exercise&class_id=9&sub_id=S&chapter_id=CH5&q_no=3
2. https://factslegend.org/25-amazing-cell-membrane-facts/#Amazing-Cell-Membrane-Facts-1-5
3. https://www.ck12.org/biology/phospholipid-bilayer/lesson/Phospholipid-Bilayers-BIO/
4. https://youtu.be/qBCVVszQQNs
5. https://sciencing.com/cell-organelles-work-together-5492286.html
6. http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_vacuole.html