PLASMA MEMBRANE

Plasma Membrane

Plasma Membrane

Introduction

In all living things, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells possess a plasma membrane which stores their contents and serves as a semi-porous barrier to the outside environment by holding the cell together, preventing the entry of foreign substances and allowing the exit of waste substances. Nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water can permeate freely across the membrane, while the transport of larger molecules like amino acids and sugar is strictly regulated (Krogh 2004).

Discussion

The plasma membrane consists of a bilayer of phospholipids with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic phosphate tails. The orientation of the phospholipid is such that hydrophilic heads face ...