Cell Plasma Membrane Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is Cell Plasma Membrane?
The cell plasma membrane is a thin, flexible barrier that surrounds the cells of all living organisms and helps to regulate what passes in and out of the cell. It is composed of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates and is essential for cell survival. The plasma membrane separates the internal components of a cell from its external environment, allowing chemical reactions to occur within the cell while also providing protection from foreign materials.The main purpose of the plasma membrane is to act as a selective barrier between the inside and outside of a cell. This allows certain molecules to enter or exit the cell while keeping other molecules out. It creates an environment within which cells can exist by regulating what substances are allowed into or out of it. Additionally, it also acts as a link between different organelles within a single cell as well as between individual cells in multicellular organisms. In this way, it facilitates communication between different parts of an organism’s body and helps maintain homeostasis or balance within its systems. The structure of the plasma membrane consists primarily of phospholipids arranged in two layers called a bilayer that encloses various proteins embedded throughout. These phospholipids form hydrophobic tails which prevent water-soluble substances from passing through easily by repelling them away from each other and creating an impermeable barrier around the cells contents. The proteins embedded within this bilayer are responsible for transporting various molecules across it such as ions or small molecules like sugars via active transport processes using energy from ATP (adenosine triphosphate). In conclusion, without its protective layer formed by lipids and proteins known as the plasma membrane, cells would not be able to survive since it creates an environment allowing them to exist while still maintaining their own individual identity by regulating what enters or exits them at any given time.