7.2 Cell Membrane The Cell Membrane Section 7.2 · a.k.a. plasma membrane · functions a. maintains integrity of cell (forms a boundary) like a gate or border b. controls passage of materials into and out of cell (selectively permeable) like a gatekeeper, bouncer, or border control Cell Membrane Function Selective Permeability · a.k.a. semipermeable or selectively permeable · only certain substances can enter or leave cell · helps maintain homeostasis b/c cell need very specific conditions to function properly · phospholipid bilayer (two layers) hydrophilic heads (polar) - love water hydrophobic tails (non polar) - fear water and turn in Cell membrane Structure Cell Membrane Structure · cholesterol - keeps phospholipids from sticking together · proteins - help materials cross the membrane and form part of the cytoskeleton · carbohydrates - tags for identification · cell membrane is flexible and moves from side to side behaves like a liquid · embedded proteins and other molecules create patterns looks like mosaic tiles FLUID MOSAIC MODEL