Chapter 3, Problem 13CA

Summary Introduction

To distinguish:

Between active and passive mechanisms of movement across the cell membrane.

Introduction:

The cell membrane is one of the major components of the cell. It is extremely thin and forms the sheet of a lipid bilayer that provides structure to the cell. Certain globular and compact membrane proteins provide the pathway to the ions and smaller molecules to cross the phospholipid layer of the cell which is impermeable. The membrane proteins form “pores” that allow the entry of water and form channels for entry of particular ions.