BIOL 2520 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Ceramide, Glycosylphosphatidylinositol, Acyltransferase

• School: University of Manitoba
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BIOL 2520
• Professor: stout

Document Summary

Dynamic structures capable of fusing without losing continuity. 6-10 nanometers thick: can"t be observed by a light microscope. External membrane: plasma membrane: encloses contents of entire cells. Internal membrane: nuclear envelope, mitochondrial membranes, chloroplast membranes, lysosomal membrane, er. Compartmentalization: membranes form continuous sheets that enclose intracellular compartments, reactions and contents in compartments are all different compartmentalization prevents mixing of process and products = better regulation. Scaffold for biochemical activities: membranes provide a framework that organizes enzymes for effective interaction, enzymes are anchored to the membrane. Selectively permeable barrier: membranes allow regulated exchange of substances between compartments. Transporting solutes: membrane proteins facilitate the movement of substances between compartments, ion gradients in cellular respiration + photosynthesis and nerves impulses. Responding to external signals: membrane receptors transduce signals from outside the cell in response to specific ligands. 1: membranes mediate recognition and interaction between adjacent cells.