cell membrane
[/sel ˈmɛm.breɪn/]
nounpl: cell membranes
membrana celular
1. The thin, semi-permeable lipid bilayer that surrounds the cytoplasm of a cell and separates the interior of the cell from its external environment
The cell membrane controls what enters and exits the cell through selective permeability.
A membrana celular controla o que entra e sai da célula através da permeabilidade seletiva.
2. In animal cells, the outermost layer composed primarily of phospholipids and proteins that regulates nutrient uptake and waste removal
Proteins embedded in the cell membrane help transport glucose into the cell.
As proteínas incorporadas na membrana celular ajudam a transportar glicose para dentro da célula.
This is a technical scientific term used uniformly in both Brazilian and American English educational contexts. In Brazil, it is a standard component of high school and university biology curricula. The Portuguese variant 'membrana plasmática' is more common in Portugal and some European contexts, while 'membrana celular' is the predominant form in Brazil.
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