1 .

3 M e M b r A n e s t r u c t u r e

Ipig h   kayi 

Interpret electron micrographs to identify organelles and deduce the function

of specialized cells.

If the organelles in a eukaryotic cell can be

identied and their function is known, it is often

possible to deduce the overall function of the cell.

●
Study the electron micrographs in gures 6, 7

and 8. Identify the organelles that are present

and try to deduce the function of each cell.

▲ Figure 7

▲ Figure 6

▲ Figure 8

1.3 Mma 

Understanding
Applications

➔ Phospholipids form bilayers in water due to the

➔ Cholesterol in mammalian membranes reduces

amphipathic properties of phospholipid molecules.

membrane uidity and permeability to some

➔ Membrane proteins are diverse in terms of

solutes.

structure, position in the membrane and function.

➔ Cholesterol is a component of animal cell

membranes.

Nature of science Skills

➔ Using models as representations of the ➔ Drawing the uid mosaic model.

real world: there are alternative models of

➔ Analysis of evidence from electron microscopy that

membrane structure.
led to the proposal of the Davson–Danielli model.

➔ Falsication of theories with one theory being

➔ Analysis of the falsication of the Davson–Danielli

superseded by another: evidence falsied the

model that led to the Singer–Nicolson model

Davson–Danielli model.

25
1 C E L L B I O L O G Y

OH

Phospholipid bilayers
hydrophilic
O P O

phosphate

O
Phospholipids form bilayers in water due to the
head

H C H H
H
amphipathic proper ties of phospholipid molecules.

I
/ C

I"
C

I
H
Some substances are attracted to water – they are hydrophilic

I
= O C

I
= O Other substances are not attracted to water – they are hydrophobic.

H- C
-H H
- C
- H

I I Phospholipids are unusual because part of a phospholipid molecule is

H- C
-H H
- C
- H

I I hydrophilic and part is hydrophobic. Substances with this property are

H- -H C H
- C
- H

I I described as amphipathic.

H- - H C H
- C
- H

I I
H- - H C H - C - H
The hydrophilic part of a phospholipid is the phosphate group. The

I I hydrophobic part consists of two hydrocarbon chains. The chemical

H- - H C H - C - H

I I structure of phospholipids is shown in gure 1.

H- C - H H - C - H
hydrophobic

I I
hydrocarbon
C H H C H The structure can be represented simply using a circle for the phosphate

II I
C - H H - - C H
tails

group and two lines for the hydrocarbon chains.

I I
H- C - H H - C - H

I I
H C H C H

II I
H
- C H
- C
- H

I I
H- - H C H - C - H

I I ▲ Figure 2 Simplied diagram of a phospholipid molecule

H- -H C H - C - H

I I
H- -H C H - C
- H

I I The two parts of the molecule are often called phosphate heads and

H- C -H H
- C - H

I I hydrocarbon tails. When phospholipids are mixed with water the

H- C
-H H
- C
- H

I I phosphate heads are attracted to the water but the hydrocarbon

H H

tails are attracted to each other, but not to water. Because of this the

▲ Figure 1 The molecular structure phospholipids become arranged into double layers, with the hydrophobic

of a phospholipid. The phosphate hydrocarbon tails facing inwards towards each other and the hydrophilic

often has other hydrophilic groups

heads facing the water on either side. These double layers are called

attached to it, but these are not

phospholipid bilayers. They are stable structures and they form the basis

shown in this diagram

of all cell membranes.

hydrophilic phosphate head

hydrophobic hydrocarbon tails

phospholipid

bilayer

▲ Figure 3 Simplied diagram of a phospholipid bilayer

M  mma 

Using models as representations of the real world: there are alternative models of

membrane structure.

In the 1 920s, Gorter and Gre nde l extracted arranged in a monola yer was twice as large as

phospholipids from the pla sma membrane the area of plasma m embrane. They deduced

of red blood cells a nd calculated that th e that the membrane contained a bilayer of

area that the phospholipids occupied when phospho lipids. There w ere several er rors in

26