Plasma Membrane Structure and Function
Learning Objective
I can describe the structure and function of the plasma membrane.
Key Concepts
The cell membrane is a selectively permeable boundary that controls what enters and exits the cell.
The phospholipid bilayer is composed of a hydrophobic tail region and a hydrophilic head, stabilized by weak Van der Waals bonds.
The fluid mosaic model describes the cell membrane as composed of phospholipids, proteins, and cholesterol in motion.
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 10 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. What is the primary function of the cell membrane?
2. Describe the structure of a phospholipid. What part is hydrophobic and what part is hydrophilic?
3. Explain how phospholipids arrange themselves to form a bilayer in an aqueous environment.
...and 7 more questions
Educational Video
Cell Membrane Structure Explained for AP Bio in 5 Minutes
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