Bioenergetics: Open Access

Characteristics of the Bio Membrane's Structure and its Organisation by the Cytoskeleton

Murtaza Gorman^* Department of Bio Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
^*Correspondence: Murtaza Gorman, Department of Bio Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden, Email:

Received: 19-Oct-2022, Manuscript No. BEG-22-19134; Editor assigned: 21-Oct-2022, Pre QC No. BEG-22-19134 (PQ); Reviewed: 03-Nov-2022, QC No. BEG-22-19134; Revised: 10-Nov-2022, Manuscript No. BEG-22-19134 (R); Published: 18-Nov-2022, DOI: 10.35248/2167-7662.22.10.184

Description

A biological membrane, also known as a bio membrane or cell membrane, is a selectively permeable membrane that divides a cell's interior from its surroundings or establishes intracellular compartments by acting as a wall between different parts of the cell. When it comes to eukaryotic cell membranes, biological membranes are composed of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded, integral, and peripheral proteins that are employed for chemical and ion transport as well as communication. Proteins can rotate and spread laterally in a fluid matrix to the majority of lipid in a cell membrane, which is necessary for physiological activity. Proteins are adapted to the high membrane fluidity of the lipid bilayer by having an annular lipid shell on their surface, which is made up of lipid molecules that are closely linked. The isolating tissues made up of layers of cells, such as mucous membranes, basement membranes, and serous membranes, are different from the cell membranes.

The existence of lipid micro domains within the plasma membrane, known as rafts, which are thought to be crucial for its complicated activity, is one intriguing problem in membrane biophysics. A significant amount of recent experimental work suggests that biological membranes are not laterally homogeneous, but rather floating domains with distinct lipid and protein composition. This is contrary to the current view of structural organisation of a biological membrane, which is still heavily reliant on the fluid-mosaic model of a fluid-lipid bilayer proposed by Singer and Nicholson in 1972. The mechanism at the molecular level that dictates the make-up of these domains and their precise functional responsibilities is still not fully known. Furthermore, a number of lateral transport mechanisms exist for a number of membrane proteins, in addition to the random motion anticipated by the fluid mosaic model.

Micro domains that exhibit coexisting liquid phases under specific parameters of temperature, lateral pressure, and composition have been found in some lipid combinations, such as cholesterol. The size of the membrane domains in this instance varies from a few hundred lipid diameters (100-200 nm) to one micrometre.

The plasma membrane of mammalian cells is the biological membrane system where the existence of lateral domains has now been demonstrated with absolute certainty. Raft domains seem to be quite tiny and most likely heterogeneous in living cells. This may help to explain why they have evaded direct microscopic visualisation. Using single-particle tracking of the thermal position fluctuation, it was possible to provide indirect proof that small rafts exist, demonstrating that raft-associated membrane proteins are persistently linked to a small, cholesteroldependent lipid assembly of around 50 nm in diameter.

Lipids

Lipids with hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads make up the biological membrane. The length and saturation of the hydrophobic tails, which are hydrocarbon tails, are crucial for identifying the cell. When lipid species and proteins congregate in membrane domains, lipid rafts are formed. These aid in grouping membrane elements into discrete regions that are involved in particular processes, like signal transduction.

Erythrocytes, or red blood cells, have a distinct lipid structure. In equal weight proportions, phospholipids and cholesterol make up the bilayer of red blood cells. The function of the erythrocyte membrane in blood clotting is critical. Phosphatidylserine is a component of the red blood cell's bilayer. Typically, the cytoplasmic side of the membrane is where this occurs. To be utilised when blood clotting, it is turned to the outer membrane.

Proteins

Various proteins can be found in phospholipid bilayers. These membrane proteins catalyse diverse chemical reactions and have a variety of roles and properties. Membrane-spanning integral proteins have various domains on either side. Integral proteins are tightly bound to the lipid bilayer and are difficult to remove. Only a chemical treatment that ruptures the membrane will cause them to separate. In contrast to integral proteins, peripheral proteins have weak connections with the bilayer's surface and are easily able to separate from the membrane. Membrane asymmetry is caused by peripheral proteins, which are exclusively found on one side of a membrane.

Oligosaccharides

Polymers called oligosaccharides contain sugar. They may be covalently linked to lipids to produce glycolipids or to proteins to form glycoproteins in the membrane. Glycolipids, or lipid molecules containing sugar, are present in membranes. At the cell surface of the bilayer, the sugar groups of glycolipids are exposed and can create hydrogen bonds. The most extreme illustration of asymmetry in the lipid bilayer is provided by glycolipids. Cell identification and cell-cell adhesion are just two of the many communication tasks that glycolipids carry out in the biological membrane. Integral proteins include glycoproteins. They are crucial for the immune system's defence and response.