Build The Bouncer
This structure forms the basic framework of the plasma membrane.
What is the phospholipid bilayer?
These types of molecules cross the membrane easily without assistance.
What are small nonpolar molecules?
These proteins are embedded within the lipid bilayer.
What are integral proteins?
These types of molecules require assistance to cross the membrane.
What are large or charged polar molecules?
This type of molecule is able to move directly through the plasma membrane without the need for transport proteins, based on its size and chemical properties.
What is a small nonpolar molecule?
These two parts make up a phospholipid molecule.
What are a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails?
This gas molecule can freely diffuse across the membrane due to its size and polarity.
What is oxygen (O₂)? (CO₂ also acceptable)
These proteins span the entire membrane from one side to the other.
What are transmembrane proteins?
These structures help molecules cross the membrane when they cannot diffuse directly.
What are transport proteins?
This property allows certain gases to diffuse directly through the membrane without assistance.
What is nonpolarity (or being nonpolar)?
This term describes molecules that contain both water-loving and water-fearing regions.
What is amphipathic?
This is how small polar molecules like water typically cross the membrane.
What is slowly or through aquaporins?
These proteins are attached to the surface of the membrane and assist in communication.
What are peripheral proteins?
This is why glucose requires help to enter the cell.
What is because it is large and polar?
This molecule can cross the membrane but often uses aquaporins to do so more efficiently.
What is water?
This is why phospholipids form a bilayer instead of a single layer.
What is hydrophobic tails avoiding water while hydrophilic heads face it?
This is why large polar molecules cannot cross the membrane easily.
What is they cannot pass through the hydrophobic core?
This molecule helps regulate membrane fluidity and stability at different temperatures.
What is cholesterol?
These specialized proteins help water move across the membrane more efficiently.
What are aquaporins?
This type of molecule requires a transport protein because it cannot pass through the hydrophobic core.
What is a large or polar molecule?
This feature of the membrane explains why polar and charged molecules cannot easily pass through.
What is the hydrophobic interior (core) of the bilayer?
This is why sodium ions (Na⁺) cannot cross the membrane without assistance.
What is because they are charged?
These membrane structures are responsible for cell recognition and communication.
What are glycoproteins and glycolipids?
A molecule is small but still requires a transport protein to cross the membrane. This property explains why.
What is that it is charged (or polar)?
Among small size, polarity, and charge, this property is the biggest barrier preventing a molecule from crossing the membrane directly.
What is charge?