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Molecular Basis of Health and Disease pp 153–173Cite as

Cell Membrane Organization

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Abstract

The cell membrane also called as the plasma membrane or plasmalemma is one biological membrane that separates the interior of the cell from the outside environment. The cell membrane surrounds all cells and is selectively permeable, controlling the movement of substances in and out of cells. One of the main functions of the cell membrane is also to take messages from outside the cell (environment) and convey the same to the internal structures of the cell such as nucleus (DNA), mitochondria, etc., so that appropriate responses can be elicited from the cell to these outside stimuli. The cell contains a variety of biological molecules that include proteins, lipids and a variety of enzyme systems that are involved in various cellular processes such as adhesion, ion channel conductance and cell signaling.

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  1. UND Life Science, 13800 Fairhill Road, #321, 44120, Shaker Heights, OH, USA

    Undurti N. Das

  2. School of Biotechnology, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, 533003, Kakinada, India

    Undurti N. Das

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Das, U.N. (2011). Cell Membrane Organization. In: Molecular Basis of Health and Disease. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0495-4_5

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