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Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to the structure and function of the plasma membrane.
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Plasma Membrane
The biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of cells from the external environment and regulates the transport of substances.
Phospholipid Bilayer
A double layer of phospholipids that makes up the plasma membrane; hydrophilic heads face outward and hydrophobic tails face inward.
Hydrophilic Head
The part of a phospholipid that is attracted to water, consisting of a phosphate group.
Hydrophobic Tails
The fatty acid chains of a phospholipid, which repel water.
Fluid Mosaic Model
The model describing the plasma membrane as a fluid combination of lipids and proteins that move freely and allow for various functions.
Glycoproteins
Proteins that have carbohydrates attached; involved in communication and recognition between cells.
Cholesterol
A type of lipid that stabilizes and strengthens the cell membrane.
Passive Transport
The movement of molecules across the membrane without the use of energy, along the concentration gradient.
Diffusion
The process by which molecules spread from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.
Facilitated Diffusion
A process where membrane proteins assist larger or polar molecules to pass through the plasma membrane.
Osmosis
The diffusion of water through a selectively permeable membrane.
Isotonic Solution
A solution with the same solute concentration as the inside of a cell, resulting in no net movement of water.
Hypotonic Solution
A solution with a lower solute concentration outside a cell, leading to net water movement into the cell.
Hypertonic Solution
A solution with a higher solute concentration outside a cell, causing water to move out of the cell.
Active Transport
The movement of substances across a membrane that requires energy, often against a concentration gradient.
Exocytosis
The process by which a cell releases large amounts of material by vesicles fusing with the cell membrane.
Endocytosis
The process of taking in materials by forming a pocket around a particle and creating a vesicle.
Phagocytosis
A type of endocytosis where a cell engulfs solid particles.
Pinocytosis
A type of endocytosis where a cell engulfs liquids.
Recognition Proteins
Membrane proteins that identify cells to the immune system; often glycoproteins.