Title: Week 8 - Unit 3_1: Components and structure of plasma membrane
Course: Biochemistry

Introduction

A living cell is a self-reproducing system of molecules held inside a container. That container is the plasma membrane—a fatty film so thin and transparent that it cannot be seen directly in the light microscope. Every cell on Earth uses a membrane to separate and protect its chemical components from the outside environment. Without membranes there would be no cells, and thus no life

Expectations

This is an exciting opportunity to discover the way that biological membranes work, their structures.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this unit, you should be able to

- Describe the structure of the cell membrane.
- Describe the fluid mosaic model of biological membranes
- State and explain the functions of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates in membrane