termsTerm
Cell membrane
aka cell membranes, plasma membrane, cell surface, cell-surface, surface of the cell, membrane-bound
The oily outer skin of a cell. Most drugs and antibodies act at this boundary, either by binding to proteins sticking out of it or by slipping through it.
The membrane is a double layer of fat molecules studded with proteins: receptors that receive signals, channels and pumps that move molecules in and out, and adhesion molecules that hold cells to their neighbours. Only small, fat-soluble molecules cross it freely, which is why small-molecule drugs can reach targets inside the cell while antibodies (which are large) are restricted to targets on the surface. Antibody-drug conjugates exploit this: the antibody binds a surface protein, the whole complex is swallowed by the cell, and the payload is released inside.
Category
Biology basics