Biology questions?
Q. What is the function of the cell membrane? Detail the role of the following: lipid bilayer, carbohydrate molecules, and protein molecules. Cell walls serve a different function than the cell membrane. What is it? Which substances have cell walls? What are they made of? Why does diffusion require no energy to be used from the cell? Include the words concentration, diffusion, and equilibrium. How is concentration measured? What is solution? Solvent? Solute? What does it mean that a solution is saturated? unsaturate? How does osmosis work? How is it related to diffusion and concentration? Include the terms isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic. Why are cells almost always hypertonic to fresh water? How are cells protected from swelling and… [cont.]
Asked by i suck at science and history!!! - Sun Feb 10 01:43:29 2008 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. 1) The cell membrane (also called the plasma membrane, plasmalemma or "phospholipid bilayer") is a semipermeable lipid bilayer found in all cells. It contains a wide variety of biological molecules, primarily proteins and lipids, which are involved in a vast array of cellular processes such as cell adhesion, ion channel conductance and cell signaling. The plasma membrane also serves as the attachment point for both the intracellular cytoskeleton and, if present, the cell wall. Function: The cell membrane surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell and, in animal cells, physically separates the intracellular components from the extracellular environment, thereby serving a function similar to that of skin. In fungi, some bacteria, and plants, an… [cont.]
Answered by Dewey^^ - Sun Feb 10 08:36:03 2008