Semipermeable membrane

DISCUSSION Spermatozoa and its Arrival to the Egg Before embarking in the complexity of CatSper channels, the particular characteristics of sperm and its movement towards the egg in female that allows for fertilization should be addressed. Spermatozoa are differentiated motile cells that have two main structures: the head, which houses packed DNA, and the flagellum, the motility portion that transports the sperm genetic information to the egg (1). Within the spermatozoa head both a vesicle…

In order to determine the extent to which the reversal potential for potassium determines the resting membrane potential of a given cell, a mechanism is needed to determine the change in membrane voltage across the cell in different extracellular potassium solutions. The intracellular recording technique consists of puncturing a prepared cell with a conductive pipette. The difference in potential between the extracellular electrode and the wire in the pipette is recorded and displayed on the…

experiment is to investigate the ionic basis of the neuron’s resting membrane potential (Vm). We examine how this potential is affected by potassium ion [K+] concentration and permeability using Orconectes rusticus crayfish abdominal muscles, and we ask whether or not the Nernst Equation solely based on [K+] can also predict the cell’s resting membrane potential. We predicted that [K+] concentration had a significant influence on the membrane potential and thus the Nernst Equation was an…

composition except in place of 200 μL of buffer, 200 μL of water were added to the solution. The lysis buffer’s function is to lyse the cell, however, in Test tube 1, without the presence of the appropriate complement the buffer could not break the membrane structure. Therefore this test tube demonstrates the need for compliment in cell lysis, even in the presence of the buffer’s detergents. In Test tube 8 water causes erythrocytes to swell and burst and is an excellent detergent, since it is…

goal for the experiment was to determine where the drugs may reside according to their properties. We learned that there are parts in the cell that are more hydrophobic (water-fearing) and other parts that are hydrophilic (water-loving). The cell membrane is mostly hydrophobic and the cytosol is mostly hydrophilic. We made predictions of where the drugs would reach giving their chemical structure. This…

The sparking, luminescent and clear thing we call water is essential to almost every organism on planet Earth. Water so much more complicated and interesting than most people think. Water is made out of two hydrogen atom and one oxygen atom. Two major characteristics of water is cohesion and adhesion. Cohesion is the attraction of the water molecules to itself. Adhesion on the other hand is the attraction of water molecules to the substance that also have dipolar characteristics. The cohesion of…

plasma membrane, identifying at least two component macromolecules and describing what their basic function is within the membrane. The eukaryotic plasma membrane is a phospholipids bilayer containing proteins and carbohydrates attached to the proteins and sterols. It is a fluid phospholipids bilayer embedded with proteins and glycoprotein. The phospholipids bilayer is arranged in such a manner that they form the center of the membrane. They also contain sterols, which makes the membrane less…

Adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) is a mitochondrial lipid dependent membrane bound enzyme and principle donor of free energy in the living system. Any alteration in membrane lipids leads to changes in membrane fluidity, which in turn alters the ATPase activity and cellular function. The use of ATPase level measurement was considered as an appropriate index of membrane damage. Pathological processes that interfere with the production of ATP may interfere with sodium pump activity, which in turn…

structure for biological membranes. One side of the molecule is made up of hydrophilic molecules (water loving) and the other end is made up of hydrophobic molecules (water hating). Even though the bilayer is constantly moving, is still forms an effective and secure barrier around the cell. The plasma membrane is semi permeable and this allows for small molecules such as water and glucose to pass through. However larger molecules rely on the protein molecules within the membrane for passing in…

plasma membrane that regulates not only what enters the cell, but also how much of any given substance comes in.” (“Cell Membranes,” 2014) Cell membranes consists of a lipid bilayer which is composed of lipids with hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements. The fluid mosaic model is an example of how the structure of the cell…