Biological Membranes
Created by Fortune Teibowei
What are the factors that affect membrane permeability and how do they affect it?
temperature - high temperature causes phospholipids to move more due to higher kinetic energy, causing the membrane to lose its structure, making it more fluid
solvents - non-polar molecules can enter the cell membrane and disrupt its structure, making it more fluid
pH - changes in pH disrupts the membrane making it more fluid
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
What are the factors that affect membrane permeability and how do they affect it? | temperature - high temperature causes phospholipids to move more due to higher kinetic energy, causing the membrane to lose its structure, making it more fluid
solvents - non-polar molecules can enter the cell membrane and disrupt its structure, making it more fluid
pH - changes in pH disrupts the membrane making it more fluid |
What is facilitated diffusion? | - passive transport process
- polar molecules and ions move down the concentration gradient via channel/carrier proteins |
What's the difference between channel and carrier proteins? | channel proteins - form a hydrophilic passage through a membrane, allowing ions and polar molecules to diffuse through
carrier proteins - binds to a specific molecule or ion and changes shape to transport it across the membrane |