Medical Physiology

Functional organization of the cell

Structure of biological membranes
1. The surface of the cell is defined by a membrane.
Cell contains its unique environment by membrane. The large
molecules cannot pass through the membrane. Small
molecules and water yes by selectively permeable. It uses
energy to active transport things to maintain its environment.
2. The cell membrane is composed primarily of phospholipids
- Phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylionsitols,
phosphatidylserines, phosphatidylcholines.
- Shingolipids: sphingomyelins, glycosphingolipids,
gangliosides
- Cholesterol
Mixed lipids changes the fluidity and transition temp of
membrane
Especially the cholesterol molecules, at high concentration
increases fluidity
At low concentration lower the fluidity of membrane
3. Phospholipids form complex structures in aqueous solution
At high concentration phospholipids spontaneously form
bilayers
4. Diffusion of lipids within a bilayer is determined by chemical
makeup of its constituents
Higher temp sol state
Lower temp gel state
Temp to make change from gel to sol state is transition temp
Longer the fatty tail the higher the transit temp
Transition temp is a range. During this range the membrane
may divided into compositionally distinct zones.
5. Phospholipid bilayer membrane areimpermeable to charged
molecules
Impermeable: Na+, K+, Ca++, proteins, nucleicacids, sugars
and nucleotides
Permeable: O2, CO2, NH3, H2O. water permeability depends on
composition of membrane.
6. The plasma membrane is a bilayer

7. Membrane proteins can be integrally or peripherally associated

with the plasma membrane
8. Peripheral proteins are neither embedded within nor attached
to membrane by covalent bonds. Instead they adhere tightly to
the cytoplasmic or extracellular surfaces of the plasma
membrane. They can be removed from the membrane by mild
treatments that disrupt ionic bonds (very high salt
concentrations) or hydrogen bonds (very low salt
concentrations)
Integral membrane proteins are intimately associated with the
lipid bilayer in three ways:
- Transmembrane proteins: span in membrane once or several
times
- Partial embedded proteins.
- Covalent bonded protein.
Intercalates to glycosylphosphatidylinositol(GPI), -outer
leaflet.
Direct linkage to a fatty acid or a prenyl group that
intercalates into inner leaflet.
9. The membrane spanning portions of transmembrane proteins
are usually hydrophobic @ helices(~3.6 amino acids / turn)
There are eight amino acids are hydrophobic.
Many membrane proteins form tight nonconvalent associations
with other membrane proteins in the plane of the bilayer.
Multimeric proteins complexes increase stability and functions.
10.
Some membrane proteins are mobile in the plane of the
bilayer

Function of membrane proteins

1. Integral membrane proteins can serve as receptors
Ligand binding receptors: conformational change in membrane
proteins extended through the membrane
2. Integral membrane proteins can serve as adhesion molecules.
To extracellular matrix or neighbor cells. Good in regulatin the
shape, growth and differentiation of cells.
Integrins: matrix receptos - cell matrix adhesion molecules.
Cell cell adhesion molecules attach cells to each other. It
includes Ca++ dependent cell adhesion molecules ( cadherins) and
Ca++- independent neural cell adhesion molecules ( N-CAMs). The
cadherins are glycoproteins(protein with sugars attached) with one
membrane spanning segment and a large extracellular domain

that binds Ca++. The N-CAMs, generally are members of the

immunoglobulin superfamily. The two classes of cell-cell adhesion
molecules mediate similar sorts of transmembrane signals that help
organize the cytoplasm & control gene expression in response to
intercellular contacts. Some of them belong to the GPI-linked class
of membrane proteins. These polypeptides lack a transmembrane &
cytoplasmic tail. How to communicate?
Loss of this type adhesion is a hallmark of tumor cells.
3. Integral mem proteions can carry out the transmembrane
movement of water-soluble substances.
Ions and other mem impermeable substances can cross the
bilayer with the assistance of transmembrane proteins that
serve as pores, channels, carries & pumps.
Pores & channels serve as conduits that allow water, specific
ions or even very large proteins to flow passively through the
bilayer.
Carriers can either facilitate the transport of a specific
molecule across the mem or couple the transport of a
molecules to that of other solutes.
Pumps use the energy that is released by ATP to drive the
transport of substances into or out of cells against energy of
concentration gradients.
Channels, carriers and pumps transport items by creating a
hydrophilic pathway in the bilayer. @-helices are amphipatic.
4. Integral mem proteins can also be enzymes.
Many of GPI linked proteins are enzymes. Alkaline
phosphatase and 5 nucleotidase. Extracellular.
Phospholipase C can cleave of them.
5. Integral mem proteins can participate in intracellular signaling
These proteins bind to fatty acids or prenyl group into
intracellular side to participate in intracellular signaling &
growth regulation pathwas. GTP guanosine triphosphate
binding proteins, kinases and oncogene products.
6. Peripheral me proteins participate in intracellular signaling
and can form a submembranous cytoskeleton.
Cellular organelles and the cytoskeleton
1. The cell is composed of discrete organelles
- The nucleus stores, replicates and reads the cells genetic
info.

Lysosomes digest material that is derived from the interior

and exterior of cells. Inside of lysosomes contain digestion
enzymes and high acidic liquid.
- Mitochondrion is the site of oxidative energy production.
- The cytoplasm is not amorphous but is organized by the
cytoskeleton
The cytoskeleton is composed of protein filaments that
radiate throughout cell, serving as beams, struts and stays
that determine cell shape and resilence.
- Intermediate filaments provide cells with structural support
- Microtubules provide structural support & provide the basis
for several types of subcellular motility.
2. Synthesis and recycling of membrane proteins
Secretory and mem proteins are synthesized in association
with the rough endoplasmic reticulum.