"The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extracellular space)."
The study of the membrane structures, including the plasma membrane, and the various processes involved in their formation and functions.
Lipids: Lipids are essential components of cell membranes, and play a crucial role in membrane structure, function, and dynamics.
Membrane proteins: Membrane proteins are embedded within the lipid bilayer of cell membranes, and are responsible for a wide range of important cellular processes.
Membrane transport: Membrane transport refers to the mechanisms by which cells move molecules and ions in and out of the cell.
Membrane fusion: Membrane fusion is a process by which two lipid bilayers come together and merge into a single bilayer.
Membrane curvature: Membrane curvature is a fundamental property of biological membranes that is critical for many cellular processes, including endocytosis and exocytosis.
Membrane fluidity: Membrane fluidity is a property of cell membranes that refers to the ease with which lipids and proteins can move and diffuse within the membrane.
Membrane dynamics: Membrane dynamics refers to the changes in membrane structure and composition that occur in response to cellular processes such as signal transduction, endocytosis, and exocytosis.
Membrane trafficking: Membrane trafficking is the process by which cells transport proteins and lipids between different compartments of the cell, including the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and lysosomes.
Membrane receptors: Membrane receptors are proteins that are embedded within cell membranes and are responsible for sensing and responding to signals from the environment.
Membrane cytoskeleton interactions: The cytoskeleton is a dynamic network of proteins that helps to maintain cell shape and motility, and interacts extensively with cell membranes.
Membrane fusion: The merger of two or more lipid bilayer membranes into a single membrane.
Membrane fission: The process by which a single membrane is divided into two or more smaller membranes.
Membrane trafficking: The movement of proteins and lipids between different compartments within the cell.
Endocytosis: The process by which materials are taken up into the cell by the formation of a vesicle from the plasma membrane.
Exocytosis: The process by which materials are secreted from the cell by the fusion of a vesicle with the plasma membrane.
Cell motility: The ability of cells to move and change shape.
Cell adhesion: The ability of cells to stick together and form tissues.
Membrane tension: The force exerted on the cell membrane due to changes in shape or size of the cell.
Membrane curvature: The bending of the membrane in response to external or internal cues, such as proteins or lipids.
Lipid rafts: Regions of the membrane that are enriched in certain types of lipids and proteins, and are thought to play a role in membrane organization and signaling.
Membrane permeability: The ability of substances to pass through the membrane, regulated by membrane transport proteins.
Membrane potential: The difference in electrical charge between the inside and outside of the cell, maintained by ion channels and pumps.
Membrane receptors: Proteins located on the cell membrane that bind to specific ligands, such as hormones or neurotransmitters, and initiate cellular responses.
"The cell membrane consists of a lipid bilayer, made up of two layers of phospholipids with cholesterols (a lipid component) interspersed between them, maintaining appropriate membrane fluidity at various temperatures."
"The membrane also contains membrane proteins, including integral proteins that span the membrane and serve as membrane transporters, and peripheral proteins that loosely attach to the outer (peripheral) side of the cell membrane, acting as enzymes to facilitate interaction with the cell's environment."
"Glycolipids embedded in the outer lipid layer serve a similar purpose."
"The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of a cell, being selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules."
"Cell membranes are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as cell adhesion."
"Cell membranes... serve as the attachment surface for several extracellular structures, including the cell wall and the carbohydrate layer called the glycocalyx, as well as the intracellular network of protein fibers called the cytoskeleton."
"The cell membrane consists of a lipid bilayer, made up of two layers of phospholipids with cholesterols (a lipid component) interspersed between them, maintaining appropriate membrane fluidity at various temperatures."
"...historically referred to as the plasmalemma."
"The cell membrane separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extracellular space)."
"In the field of synthetic biology, cell membranes can be artificially reassembled."
"The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of a cell, being selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules."
"The cell membrane consists of a lipid bilayer, made up of two layers of phospholipids with cholesterols (a lipid component) interspersed between them, maintaining appropriate membrane fluidity at various temperatures."
"Integral proteins span the membrane and serve as membrane transporters."
"Cell membranes are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as cell adhesion, ion conductivity, and cell signaling."
"Peripheral proteins loosely attach to the outer (peripheral) side of the cell membrane, acting as enzymes to facilitate interaction with the cell's environment."
"The cell membrane serves as the attachment surface for... the carbohydrate layer called the glycocalyx."
"Cell membranes are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as... cell signaling."
"The cell membrane separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extracellular space)."
"The cell membrane serves as the attachment surface for several extracellular structures, including the cell wall and... the cytoskeleton."