Question

What is plasmalemma ?

Answer 1

Plasmaemma is another name for the plasma membrane or cell membrane. It was discovered by Schwann. Plasmalemma is an absolute requirement for all living organisms. It is responsible for the relationship of a cell with the outside world. It is composed of lipids that are arranged in a bilayer. These lipids are arranged within the membrane with the polar head towards the outer sides and the hydrophobic (non-polar) tails towards the inner sides. The polar ends (head) interact with water and are called hydrophilic. This ensures that the non-polar tail of saturated hydrocarbons or hydrophobic tail is protected from the aqueous environment. Later, biochemical investigation clearly revealed that the cell membranes also possess protein and carbohydrate. Plasmalemma allows the transport of the molecules across it.