Honors Membrane and Diffusion

Front

What is an integral protein?

Back

Integral proteins are proteins that are embedded within the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes, playing key roles in transporting substances across the membrane.

Front

What role do proteins play in the cell membrane?

Back

Proteins embedded in the phospholipid bilayer help substances pass through the membrane, acting as channels or carriers.

Front

What forms the two layers of the cell membrane?

Back

Phospholipids form the two layers of the cell membrane, creating a barrier that separates the interior of the cell from the external environment.

Front

Where would you find a low concentration of perfume?

Back

A low concentration of perfume would be found in the room, as it diffuses from the bottle to areas of lower concentration.

Front

What is a peripheral protein?

Back

Peripheral proteins are proteins that are attached to the exterior or interior surfaces of the cell membrane but are not embedded within the lipid bilayer.

Front

Define diffusion.

Back

Diffusion is the process by which molecules spread from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Front

What is the function of cholesterol in the cell membrane?

Back

Cholesterol helps to stabilize the fluidity of the cell membrane, making it less permeable to very small water-soluble molecules that might otherwise pass freely through.

Front

What are phospholipids made of?

Back

Phospholipids are made of a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid tails, and a phosphate group, which makes them amphipathic (having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts).

Front

What is the significance of the fluid mosaic model?

Back

The fluid mosaic model describes the structure of the cell membrane as a mosaic of various proteins that float in or on the fluid lipid bilayer, allowing for flexibility and movement.

Front

What is osmosis?

Back

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