Term
| Purpose of the plasma membrane |
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Definition
- physical barrier
- signaling
- solute permeation and transport
- scaffolding & adhesion |
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Term
| Surface tension (γ) & energy |
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Definition
Polar molecules (such as water) interact with each other. Water molecules at the surface of water-air interface have higher energy because they have fewer attractive forces. Water "wants" to minimize interaction with air, as expanding the surface means more molecules with higher energy.
G = γA where G is the energy of the surface & A is the area. |
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Term
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Definition
| A molecule that lowers surface tension. Has a hydrophilic polar head that interacts with water and a hydrophobic tail that will be "pushed out" of the solution. The water interacts with the polar head of the surfactant. This decreases the energy of the water molecules that are interacting with the polar heads rather than air, and decreases the surface tension due to the lipids which act as an adapter. |
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Term
| Major classes of Plasma Membrane Lipids |
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Definition
- Phospholipids
- Cholesterol
- Glycolipids |
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