de Sousa R C
Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 1977 Nov 12;107(45):1605-12.
The structure and function of the plasma membrane is reviewed. Three of its main functional roles are discussed, i.e. of 1. selective, physico-chemical barrier; 2. key regulator of cell tolerance and cell recognition; 3. effector organelle for long range and short range cell communication. From the structural viewpoint, the fluid mosaic model is presented as a particularly dynamic picture of the membrane machine and its components (pathways for active and passive transport, enzymes, hormonal receptors and other active sites). Some recent aspects fo the modulation of membrane permeability by hormonal or pharmacological agents are discussed by considering two examples of the author's own research: the hydrosmotic action of vasopressin and the vasopressin-like effects of a hallucinogenic drug, harmaline. Finally, the growing list of anomalies of membrane transport and membrane receptors found both in rare and in common clinical entities emphasizes the importance of membrane research in the understanding of human disease.
本文综述了质膜的结构和功能。讨论了其三个主要功能作用，即：1. 选择性物理化学屏障；2. 细胞耐受性和细胞识别的关键调节因子；3. 长距离和短距离细胞通讯的效应细胞器。从结构角度来看，流体镶嵌模型展示了膜机制及其组成部分（主动和被动运输途径、酶、激素受体和其他活性位点）的特别动态的图景。通过考虑作者自己研究的两个例子，即抗利尿激素的渗透作用和一种致幻药物——骆驼蓬碱的抗利尿激素样效应，讨论了激素或药物制剂对膜通透性调节的一些最新进展。最后，在罕见和常见临床病症中发现的越来越多的膜转运和膜受体异常情况强调了膜研究在理解人类疾病中的重要性。
