Cell Membrane and Transport

Front

What is the cell membrane?

Back

The cell membrane is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of all cells from the outside environment.

Front

What is selective permeability?

Back

The ability of the cell membrane to allow some substances to pass through while blocking others.

Front

What is passive transport?

Back

The movement of substances across the cell membrane without the use of energy.

Front

What is active transport?

Back

The movement of substances across the cell membrane that requires energy, usually against a concentration gradient.

Front

What is osmosis?

Back

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration.

Front

What is diffusion?

Back

The process by which molecules spread from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.

Front

What role do proteins play in the cell membrane?

Back

Proteins in the cell membrane assist in transport, act as receptors, and provide structural support.

Front

What is homeostasis?

Back

The process by which a cell maintains a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions.

Front

What is a concentration gradient?

Back

A difference in the concentration of a substance across a space, which drives the movement of substances.

Front

What is the fluid mosaic model?

Back

A model that describes the structure of the cell membrane as a mosaic of various components, including phospholipids, cholesterol, and proteins, that move fluidly.