Aims & Learning Objectives:
Aims: To introduce the student to the principles governing the structure and function of biological membranes. To introduce the principles governing the structure of the lipid bilayer and the topological arrangement of proteins in the membrane. To introduce the principles and mechanisms involved in the transport of solutes across cell membrane. To introduce the student to mechanisms involved in sorting membrane proteins to specialised subcellular compartments. To provide an understanding of the overall importance of membrane processes in cellular function.
After taking the course the student should be able to:
* outline how membrane lipids and proteins are structurally organised in the membrane;
* describe how ions and sugars are transported across membranes;
* describe the mechanisms by which membrane proteins are sorted into specialised subcellular compartments and the routes by which membrane trafficking occurs.
Content:
Functions and common structural feature of membrane lipids and proteins. Case study of the erythrocyte membrane proteins. Lateral diffusion of membrane components. Common features of membrane transporters for ions and neutral molecules together with the specialised features that provide substrate specificity. Simple kinetic features of the membrane transport process. Mechanisms for membrane vesicle budding and fusion and the functional significance of these processes in terms of membrane protein sorting and trafficking.
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