Name ________________________________________________
Date _________
Unit 2 Cell Membrane Analogy
Biology 2015
Before completing this activity, make sure that you have read page 84 and that you can define
intracellular receptor, membrane receptor, and ligand.
Instructions: Today you are going to build a cell membrane using certain supplies to represent the parts
of the membrane (Quick lab on page 83).
Fill in the supplies that you will use for each part of the membrane:
Phospholipid bi-layer: _______________________________
Channel proteins: ___________________________ these proteins are (circle one): inside the cell,
outside the cell or through the membrane?
Membrane protein receptor: _____________________________ this protein is located inside the cell,
outside, or through the membrane?
Carbohydrate chain: _____________________________these are on the inside or outside surface of cell
membrane?
Look at the drawing on page 82 or your notes-which parts of the membrane are missing from this
activity? What could you use to represent them in this analogy?
___________________:______________________
__________________:______________________
Draw and label your model below, then get initials from teacher ______:
Questions (use section 3.3 of your book and answer in complete sentences):
1. In this model, the swabs and proteins can be moved around. Explain using terms from notes and
book whether this is an accurate representation of actual cell membranes (p. 82):
2. Why do phosphoplipids form a double bi-layer (read page 81 carefully)?
3. Explain how membrane receptors transmit messages across the cell membrane (be sure to use
the term ligand, intracellular receptor, membrane receptor and provide an example)p. 84: