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The Functions of Cell Membrane
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| Submitted: Tue Sep 02 2003
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THE FUNCTIONS OF CELL MEMBRANE The cell membrane is about seven mm wide and is a functional organelle which serves as a boundary between the cell and its environment, thereby separating the contents of cells from their external environment, controlling exchange of materials such as nutrients and waste products between the two. Membranes act as receptor sites for recognizing hormones, neurotransmitters and other chemicals, either from the external environment or from other parts of the organism. One of the major properties of the cell membrane is that it is partially permeable, which is its ability to permit different substances to pass across it at different rates. Thus, it allows the passage of substances like glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, glycerol and ions along with water. The cell membrane is almost entirely made up of proteins and phospholipids. The hydrophobic tails of phospholipids project inwards forming phospholipid bilayers which provide the basic...
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