Cell Membranes Rap

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• published: 29 Jul 2013
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On iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/glenn-wolkenfeld/id555040717 On Amazon at http://tinyurl.com/pvt5kbb Buy the video at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Glenn-Wolkenfeld-1 Get curriculum at http://www.sciencemusicvideos.com Take the membrane's quiz at http://www.sciencemusicvideos.com/quizzes On twitter, https://twitter.com/GlennWolkenfeld for the daily bio-haiku. A music video that teaches about the structure and function of cell membranes. Lyrics: If you're in a cell's cytoplasm, heading outside, Your last stop's a barrier, 8 nanometers wide, The cell membrane: our subject for today It's as basic to life as DNA It's Selectively permeable, like a border patrol of a country it maintains control. Selecting what leaves or what gains entry It's a guard, bouncer, watchman, patrolman or sentry. But not just a guard, it sends signals in nerves White blood cells use their membranes to eat germs like hors d'oeuvres, Membranes have receptors, enzymes and junctions, So what kinds of structure can have all these functions? CHORUS C-E double L, "Mem" B-R-A-N-E Controlling transport selective permeability Phospholipids, Carbohydrates, Proteins and Cholesterol The Fluid Mosaic Bilayer in us all So let's take a look at what makes up the membrane, Phospholipids rule this domain, In fact membrane structure emerges directly from phospholipids' chemical properties. There's a head and a tail on every phospholipid, The tail's two long chain fatty acids Bound to a glycerol, it's made to order The tail's non-polar --hydrophobic-- fears water The head's got a phosphate, it's charged negatively, makes the head hydrophilic--plays in water happily So tail avoids water while the head's attracted to it, When phospholipids form the membrane that's how they do it. Cause when phospholipids into water get submerged, A phospholipid bilayer structure will emerge The tails hang together in a water free zone, Hear their hydrophobic moan, "water leave me alone!" While the heads are sticking out touching all those H2Os Tails in, heads out, it's how every membrane goes Tails in, heads out, in a cellular sphere, It's the bilayered basis of membranes everywhere. CHORUS But a cell membrane's not just a phospholipid scene There's cholesterol, carbohydrates, lots of proteins. In fact, membrane proteins have a presence so great, that they often exceed the phospholipids by weight. And all of these components are in constant motion, Moving, mixing like a boiling potion, Flowing like dancers in a party in Pasaic That's why the membrane's thought of as a fluid mosaic. Let's start with proteins since they're key in this mix. Transmembrane proteins span the entire width. Typically they're ports--think of channels or conveyors, For things that don't go through the lipid bilayer. Any protein embedded in the hydrophobic middle Built right into the inside is considered integral While peripheral proteins either hang on the exterior, Or inside on the cytoplasmic interior. Cholesterol keeps membranes flowing with ease, In cold it keeps the lipids moving so they don't freeze, In heat it slows the lipids down limiting their traveling, Cholesterol: it keeps membranes from unraveling Membrane carbohydrates work as markers or signs So your immune system knows which flag your cells are flyin' The blood types AB, O, and B and A Are about the carbohydrates on red blood cell membranes. CHORUS