The plasma membrane is a selectively permeable barrier to regulate the passage of materials into and out of the cell. How materials, such as water and gases, pass through the membrane by osmosis and diffusion is discussed in this chapter. Other methods of membrane transport, such as facilitated transport, active transport, and endocytosis and exocytosis, are also reviewed. Within the cell, cellular organelles are as diverse in structure as they are in function. The chapter discusses types of organelles found in animal cells and how they contribute to the overall workings of the cell.
The chapter ends with a brief discussion of aerobic cellular metabolism and fermentation.