Cell Membranes Rap

SUMMARY: This karaoke-style music video provides a musical explanation of the structure of the cell membrane. This includes the structure of phospholipids, the key structural component of biological membranes, and how phospholipids interact with water to organize themselves into a phospholipid bilayer. The roles of membranes proteins, carbohydrates, and cholesterol is also discussed.

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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

[sciencemusicvideos]

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[deepoweepo]

I didn't choose the cell life, the cell life chose me

[kazoot]

7 years on, the beat still slaps and provides useful revision for my biology exam coming up. Thank you!

[mamaslilboy]

When he started standing on top of himself I lost it

[InaneKrug]

Taking Neuroscience and having to review the concepts of the phospholipid bilayer, this is probably the most informative video in terms of concepts per minute on all of YouTube. A great refresher!

[charleschu]

i'm actually a uni student so this is quite basic to me but i have to say, i could use lecturers like you who make things this easy. keep doing what you are doing mate, God bless

[kaitlyndai]

We were supposed to take notes of cell membranes, and i watched this, I must've killed the replay button. You, sir, are EXTREMELY ENTERTAINING, and EXTREMELY INFORMATIONAL! Thank you for uploading possibly the greatest rap song of all time 👏

[thearkedwolf]

I first saw this 8 years ago in my Biology class when I was a freshman in Highschool. I just took a quiz in my Life Science college class and this amazing video popped into my head as it helped me answer a few questions. Thank you!

[LOVEDAEE]

Pre-ap Bio student.This helped alot.At first I couldnt understand a single word my teacher was saying.Thanks !

[zv]

This kind of educational and musical dedication is truly admirable.

[lauraeager]

I am taking the first semester of bio to meet medical school prereqs, and I have my second test on Wednesday. I've been listening to your channel religiously and realized that I learn science best through song while I was studying my notes at Starbucks. I mentioned your channel to my tutor on Friday and emailed her the link to your website this evenings. Keep up the awesome work!

[kinolgamage]

My biology teacher showed me this today!

[gyugfdtyuh]

I first was about to get drakes new album but now.. I'm getting this 🔥🔥🔥

[paleopod]

Mr.W's song videos are a great instructional vehicle. I love them

[SpencerGaming]

Your videos are not only very helpful, but the songs are very good as well.
I don't know how many times I've listened to this song. Probably 40 times :)

[drowninginsoup]

LOOOOVEEDD this glenn!!! so talented 🥰🥰

[leslieleslie]

Wow, I understand now, what I kept reading over and over...very hard for a visual person to understand readings only.  Thank you!!

[abigailh]

My teacher showed us this during biology my freshman year of high school. Now I'm in college and I'm still using this video to prepare for class. Literally the most useful video ever.

[kellinepickett]

Dang, that's a good song for a learning tool

[mannymelkio]

Dude, You seriously rock. Love having you saved in our homeschool playlist!