Health Sciences 1002A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Peripheral Membrane Protein, Membrane Transport Protein, Integral Membrane Protein
4 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Membrane function is dictated by the proteins embedded in the phospholipids. Membranes are around all the cell organelles as well as around the cell itself. Membranes are created by a lipid bilayer. Barrier to water-soluble molecules: this is due to the hydrophobic mid part of the bilayer. Proteins embedded or attached to the membrane perform membrane functions: transport, signalling, etc. Saturation refers to c bonds to h: fully saturate bound to maximum number of hydrogen, unsaturated c=c double bonds. Phospholipids are referred to as antipathic molecules: this refers to the fact that they have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts. Membrane self-assembles in an aqueous environment in order to exclude water from the interior. Assembly of bilayer is spontaneous in an aqueous environment. Proteins embedded or bound to the membrane can also move laterally. Although fluid, cell structure is maintained by membrane protein attachment to cytoskeleton.
