Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store

Where is the cell membrane located?

seo-qna
SearchIcon
Answer
VerifiedVerified
348.3k+ views
Hint: A cell is a cytoplasmic mass that is externally bound by a cell membrane. Typically microscopic cells are the smallest structural units of living matter and comprise all living things. Most cells have one or more nuclei as well as other organelles that perform a variety of functions.

Complete answer:
The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane (PM) or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment (the extracellular space), thereby protecting the cell from its surroundings. The cell membrane is made up of a lipid bilayer that includes cholesterols (lipid components) that sit between phospholipids to keep them fluid at different temperatures.

The cell membrane, also known as the plasma membrane, is the outer covering of a living cell that encloses the cytoplasm and nucleus. Plant and bacterial cells have a cell wall that extends beyond the cell membrane.

Membrane proteins are also found in the membrane, including integral proteins that cross the membrane and act as membrane transporters, as well as peripheral proteins that loosely attach to the cell's outer (peripheral) side and act as enzymes that shape the cell. The cell membrane regulates the flow of substances into and out of cells and organelles. It is selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules in this way. Thus, The cell membrane is located on the cell's exterior.

Note: A variety of biological molecules, most notably lipids and proteins, are found in cell membranes. Composition is not fixed but is constantly changing due to fluidity and environmental changes, even fluctuating during different stages of cell development. The amount of cholesterol in the human primary neuron cell membrane changes and this change in composition affects fluidity throughout the development stages.