PSYC 2410 Chapter : Excitable Membranes and Action Potentials.docx

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2410
• Professor: Elena Choleris

Document Summary

Composed of phospholipids: polar head (glycerol phosphate) Hydrophilic: water loving, goes towards water: two non polar fatty acid tails. Hydrophobic: water-hating, avoid water: will spontaneously form a circle when phospholipids individually exposed to water. Nonpolar areas form a hydrophobic region between the hydrophilic heads (not aqueous environment) At body temperatures the interior of the bilayer is fluid: need other molecules that gives cell membrane rigidity (maintain structure and shape while at same time being fluid) Cholesterol structure similar to phospholipids: glycolipids modified versions of phospholipids. Transmembrane of integral proteins: have hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions, signal proteins. Folded number of times in cell membrane. Involved in signaling processes communication in cells: channel proteins. Can be open or closed (allow or prevent flow of different substances: go across entire membrane. Peripheral membrane proteins (non-transmembrane proteins: extracellular or intracellular side of transmembrane proteins, they facilitate chemical reactions (usually enzymes), opening or closing of channel proteins.