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Introduction The cell surface membrane (formerly called the plasma membrane) surrounds the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. The membrane forms a selectively permeable barrier, controlling the substances that enter and leave the cell and therefore enables the cell to regulate its internal environment. Structure The cell surface membrane is approximately 7.5 nm thick and composed of lipids (mainly phospholipids), proteins and carbohydrates (usually attached to proteins or lipids). (See figure below). THE FLUID MOSAIC MODEL In 1972, Singer and Nicolson put forward the 'fluid mosaic' model of membrane structure in which protein molecules float about in a fluid phospholipid bilayer. The scattered protein molecules resemble a mosaic but, since the phospholipid bilayer is fluid, the proteins form a fluid mosaic pattern. Why fluid mosaic? Fluid - because the protein molecules float about in a fluid phospholipid bilayer. The membrane is held together mainly by hydrophobic interactions between the phospholipids and between proteins and phospholipids....

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