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2 days ago · What is the function of the cell membrane? controls what comes in and out of the cell. Why is the cell membrane important? - allows cells to establish and maintain an internal environment that is different from the external environment. - maintain cell homeostasis.
5 days ago · The cell membrane functions as a barrier, keeping cell constituents in and unwanted substances out, and as a gate, allowing transport into the cell of essential nutrients and movement from the cell of waste products.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Definition
- Function of The Cell Membrane
- Phospholipid Bilayer
The cell membrane, also known as the plasma membrane, is a double layer of lipids and proteins that surrounds a cell. It separates the cytoplasm (the contents of the cell) from the external environment. It is a feature of all cells, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic.
The cell membrane gives the cell its structure and regulates the materials that enter and leave the cell. It is a selectively permeable barrier, meaning it allows some substances to cross, but not others. Like a drawbridge intended to protect a castle and keep out enemies, the cell membrane only allows certain molecules to enter or exit.
The cell membrane is made up of a phospholipid bilayer. Phospholipids are lipid molecules made up of a phosphate group head and two fatty acid tails. Importantly, the properties of phospholipid molecules allow them to spontaneously form a double-layered membrane. The phosphate group head of a phospholipid is hydrophilic, whereas the phospholipid ta...
Sep 16, 2022 · Basically, a cell membrane (or plasma membrane) is an ultrathin, plastic, dynamic, electrically charged, and selectively-permeable membrane layer that separates the cytoplasm from the extracellular matrix and helps in maintaining the cell structure and function.
Feb 2, 2023 · What is a cell (plasma) membrane and what it does in a cell: its facts, analogy, composition, location, & functions described using examples & labeled picture.
Mar 26, 2019 · The plasma membrane of a cell is a network of lipids and proteins that forms the boundary between a cell’s contents and the outside of the cell. It is also simply called the cell membrane. The main function of the plasma membrane is to protect the cell from its surrounding environment.
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Sep 21, 2021 · For example, surface receptors of the membrane create changes in the interior, such as changes in enzymes of metabolic pathways. These metabolic pathways might be vital for providing the cell with energy, making specific substances for the cell, or breaking down cellular waste or toxins for disposal.
