cell membrane

American  

[sel mem-breyn] / ˈsɛl ˈmɛm breɪn /

noun

Biology.

1. the semipermeable membrane enclosing the cytoplasm of a cell.

---

cell membrane British  

noun

1. Also called: plasmalemma.   plasma membrane.  a very thin membrane, composed of lipids and protein, that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell and controls the passage of substances into and out of the cell

---

cell membrane Scientific  

1. The thin membrane that forms the outer surface of the protoplasm of a cell and regulates the passage of materials in and out of the cell. It is made up of proteins and lipids and often contains molecular receptors. The membranes of organelles within the cell are made of the same basic material as the cell membrane. In plant cells, the cell membrane is surrounded by a rigid cell wall.

2. Also called plasma membrane

3. Compare cell wall See more at cell

---

cell membrane Cultural  

1. The structure separating an animal cell from its environment or a plant cell from its cell wall. The cell membrane is a complex system that allows nutrients to enter the cell and waste products to leave, usually through osmosis.

---

Usage

What is a cell membrane? The cell membrane is the thin layer that encloses a cell’s cytoplasm, which is the substance between the membrane and the nucleus. It allows beneficial things to pass through while blocking harmful ones.The cell is the basic structural unit of all living organisms. It is a microscopic structure consisting of a nucleus surrounded by the cytoplasm and enclosed by a membrane—the cell membrane. In general, a membrane is a thin barrier or covering.The membrane consists of a double layer made up of lipid molecules and large protein molecules. Lipids and proteins are the basic building blocks of living cells. They move fluidly in the cell membrane and function like a system of gates, giving the membrane its ability to allow molecules to pass through. For this reason, the membrane is described as semipermeable (meaning it is capable of allowing things to pass through it).Plants cells also have a rigid outer wall in addition to a cell membrane.The cell membrane is also called the plasma membrane or the plasmalemma.

Etymology

Origin of cell membrane

First recorded in 1865–70

Compare meaning

How does cell-membrane compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• cell wall vs. cell membrane
• plasma membrane vs. cell membrane

Example Sentences

They then used the technique to stimulate mouse neurons and captured the moment when synaptic vesicles fused with the cell membrane and released their chemical messengers.

From Science Daily

In this experiment, Olson and colleagues experimented with chemically tweaking psychedelic drugs to see how easily they can cross cell membranes in the brains of mice.

From Salon

Most medicines on the market today are small molecules, which can be taken by mouth, absorbed into the bloodstream and easily penetrate cell membranes.

From Reuters

If the heart is struck in a precise 20 to 40-millisecond window of the heart electrical cycle, the impact causes a stretch in myocardial cell membranes, breaking the electric signal’s normal rhythm.

From Washington Post

“It starts to break down the cell membranes and form this zone where the leaf eventually can just fall,” Day said, “sealing itself off and leaving a scar on woody plants.”

From Seattle Times