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membrane
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Detailed diagram of a plasma membrane's lipid bilayer showing two layers of phospholipid molecules with hydrophilic heads facing outward and hydrophobic tails inward, embedded cholesterol, integral (intrinsic) proteins spanning the membrane, peripheral (extrinsic) proteins attached to the surface, and sugar side chains extending from the outer face. Diagram of a cell membrane showing three types of membrane transport: simple diffusion of small molecules, facilitated diffusion through transporter proteins, and primary active transport using ATP to move molecules across the membrane. Labels identify the hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails of phospholipids, as well as extracellular and intracellular surfaces.
The video thumbnail image shows an illustration of an animal cell next to a photo of a whale swimming in the oean.
Diagram of a chloroplast showing its structure, including the outer and inner membranes, stroma, thylakoids stacked into grana, stroma lamellae, lumen, and intermembrane space. Chloroplast
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Mechanism of cellular autophagy, illustration for Nobel Prize Award in Medicine 2016. 3D illustration showing fusion of lysosome with autophagosome containing microbes and molecules.
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membrane: References & Edit History

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  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Biological membranes. Oct 30, 2024
Media added. Aug 26, 2024
Add new Web site: Oregon State University Pressbooks - Fundamentals of Cell Biology - Biological Membranes. Jul 31, 2024
Add new Web site: BCcampus Open Publishing - Douglas College Human Anatomy & Physiology I (2nd ed.) - Membrane Structure and Function. Jan 05, 2024
Add new Web site: Projects at Harvard - Biological Membranes. Nov 09, 2023
Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - Membranes - Structure, Properties and Function. May 30, 2022
Media added. Jan 13, 2020
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Biological membranes. Sep 25, 2019
Corrected display issue. Jan 02, 2018
Media added. Aug 21, 2008
Added new Web site: Innvista - Membranes. Dec 20, 2007
Article revised and updated. Nov 08, 2007
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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