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chihuahua_123
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cell membrane---please help me...---
What kind of molecules make up the majority of the cell's membrane?
Can anyone help me?
What kind of molecules make up the majority of the cell's membrane?
Can anyone help me?
Artermis said:Maybe a strange question
but is there ANYTHING in-between the phospholipid bilayer itself? as in between the space where the two heads are... where all the tails are crammed together and the proteins are integrated into the cell membrane. cholestrol? or is all that space inbetween the bilayer taken up by the tails and proteins?
The intercellular space is the space between cells, not the space inside the membrane.yomamma said:The tails are hydrocarbons and fatty acids. That little space is called 'intercellular space' and the only things that might go in there are cholesterols and transmembrane proteins.
Hey, no problem, that's what we're here for. Better you found out here that you misunderstood something than find out after you get an exam grade back.yomamma said:whoops. got a lot more to learn.
The cell membrane, also known as the plasma membrane, serves as a protective barrier and regulates the movement of substances in and out of the cell. It maintains the cell's internal environment and allows for communication with other cells.
The cell membrane is composed of a phospholipid bilayer, with hydrophilic (water-loving) heads facing the outside and inside of the cell, and hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails facing each other. Embedded within the membrane are various proteins and cholesterol molecules.
The cell membrane plays a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis, or a stable internal environment, by controlling the movement of substances in and out of the cell. It uses selective permeability, allowing certain molecules to pass through while blocking others, to keep the cell's internal conditions balanced.
Active transport requires energy to move molecules against their concentration gradient, from an area of low concentration to high concentration. Passive transport, on the other hand, does not require energy and allows molecules to move with their concentration gradient, from an area of high concentration to low concentration.
Cells have various mechanisms in place to repair and maintain the integrity of their cell membrane. These include protein pumps that actively transport substances in and out of the cell, enzymes that repair any damage to the membrane, and the production of new phospholipids to replace any damaged ones.