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Dear Readers, Welcome to the latest issue of The Magazine
A cell membrane is a confusing structure that has various proteins and lipids. In transporting of the cell membrane, also called the plasma membrane, carries diverse proteins that are necessary for its structure, function, and interactions with the cell’s environment.
These proteins lie within the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane; they span it. As a result, piece of them go into cytoplasmic and extracellular environments as well. There is a wide range of functions performed by integral membrane proteins such as transport molecules across membranes, signal transduction or adhesion. For example, there are ion channels like transporters or receptors and cell adhesion molecules.
On contrary to integral ones peripheral proteins are not embedded in lipid bilayer. Instead they associate loosely with the membranes through interaction with integral mem-brane proteins or certain lipids themselves. Functions played by peripheral membrane proteins include roles in signal transduction; cytoskeletal organization; trafficking among others. Some examples can be enzymes involved in various pathways for transducing signals or even regulatory proteins that determine curvature of vesicles during their formation.
Covalently attached carbohydrate molecules form glycoprotein complexes where these proteins are found on extracellular side of cell membranes performing a number of different roles including receptor recognition between cells; immune responses and cell adhesion etc…. They play key roles in processes like tissue development including immune system operation and host-pathogen relationships.
Receptors are integral membrane proteins that recognize certain specific signaling molecules (examples) such as hormones, neurotransmitters or growth factors from outside cells’ perimeter. The reception causes intracellular signaling cascades by those receptors controlling many cellular functions including gene expression, metabolism and growth control (Ben Shaul et al., 2007). Moreover, receptor protein activation is required for coordinating all cellular responses towards stimuli from external sources aimed at maintaining homeostasis.
Integral membrane proteins that help move ions, small molecules and macromolecules across the cell membrane are called transport proteins. Transport proteins could be grouped into several categories according to how they facilitate movement across membranes; channel, carrier and pumps. Channels allow for selective and rapid passage of ions or small substances along their electrochemical gradients whereas carriers move certain molecules across the membrane by undergoing conformational changes (Ben Shaul et al., 2007). Pumping such as ATPases are basically involved in energy driven uphill movement of ions or molecules against concentration gradient which provides key roles in ion homeostasis and cell volume regulation.
Among others, these five types of protein contribute to maintaining structural integrity, function and responsiveness of the cell membrane thus enabling cells communicate with their environment while undertaking important physiological processes.
