What is the Difference Between Cell Membrane and Cytoplasm?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The cell membrane and cytoplasm are two major components of a cell, serving different functions and having distinct structures.
Cell Membrane:
- The cell membrane is a biological membrane that separates the interior of the cell from the outside environment.
- It is composed of a bilayer of phospholipids, with their hydrophobic, fatty acid tails in contact with each other.
- The cell membrane is responsible for controlling what can enter and exit the cell.
Cytoplasm:
- The cytoplasm is the gel-like substance inside the cell, composed of water, salts, and various organic molecules.
- It holds cell organelles and acts as a reaction medium for metabolic reactions.
- In eukaryotic cells, the cytoplasm is everything between the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope.
In summary, the cell membrane serves as a protective barrier, controlling the movement of substances in and out of the cell, while the cytoplasm is a gel-like medium that contains organelles and facilitates metabolic reactions.
On this pageWhat is the Difference Between Cell Membrane and Cytoplasm? Comparative Table: Cell Membrane vs Cytoplasm
Comparative Table: Cell Membrane vs Cytoplasm
Here is a table highlighting the differences between the cell membrane and cytoplasm:
| Feature | Cell Membrane | Cytoplasm |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A double-layered phospholipid membrane that separates the cell from its environment | A jelly-like semifluid that encloses the cell's organelles and is located inside the cell's plasma membrane |
| Function | Protects the cell and gives it a definite shape | Holds the cell organelles and acts as a reaction medium |
| Separation from external environment | Separates cells from one another and from the external environment | Doesn't separate cells from one another and from the external environment |
| Stored and released energy | Energy is not stored or released in the cell membrane | Energy is stored and released in the cytoplasm |
| Protoplasm | Not part of the protoplasm | Part of the protoplasm (along with the nucleus) |
| Movement of substances | Contains small pores that control the movement of different substances across the cell | Not responsible for the movement of various molecules across the cell membrane |
| Cell adhesion and ion conductivity | Primary site involved in cell adhesion and ion conductivity | Not involved in cell adhesion and ion conductivity |
Both the cell membrane and cytoplasm are essential components of a cell, each serving different functions and having unique properties.
Read more:
- Cytoplasm vs Cytosol
- Cytoplasm vs Protoplasm
- Cell Wall vs Cell Membrane
- Cell Wall vs Plasma Membrane
- Cell Membrane vs Nuclear Membrane
- Cytoplasm vs Cytoskeleton
- Cytoplasm vs Nucleoplasm
- Tonoplast vs Plasma Membrane
- Hyaloplasm vs Cytosol
- Protoplast vs Protoplasm
- Animal Cell vs Plant Cell
- Plant vs Animal Cells
- Membranous vs Nonmembranous Organelles
- Cell vs Atom
- Cell Organelles vs Cell Inclusions
- Eukaryotic Cells vs Prokaryotic Cells
- Tissue vs Cell
- Plasmolysis vs Cytolysis
- Cytokinesis vs Mitosis