Chemical composition of the plasma membrane

The plasma membrane is a dynamic fluid that is in constant flux. It is composed a bilateral of lipid molecules with protein molecules dispersed in it. The lipid bilateral is made up largely of phospholipids, with smaller amounts of cholesterol and glycolipids. Each phospholipid molecule in the membrane has a polar "head" that is charged and hydrophilic and an uncharged, nonpolar "tail" that is hydrophobic.

Even though the plasma membrane's consistency is like that of olive oil allowing the lipid molecules to move freely from side to side, the polar-nonpolar interactions prevent them from moving from one bilayer to the other. The plasma membrane acts as external cell barrier. It also serves in the transport of substances into or out of the cell. The proteins in the plasma membrane, specifically the externally facing proteins, acts as receptors for hormones, neurotransmitter a, etc. and in cell-to-cell recognition.

Chemical Composition

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Its Relation to Membrane Functions