<P> The cell membrane ( also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane , and historically referred to as the plasmalemma ) is a biological membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment ( the extracellular space ) . It consists of a lipid bilayer with embedded proteins . The basic function of the cell membrane is to protect the cell from its surroundings . The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of cells and organelles . In this way , it is selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules . In addition , cell membranes are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as cell adhesion , ion conductivity and cell signalling and serve as the attachment surface for several extracellular structures , including the cell wall , the carbohydrate layer called the glycocalyx , and the intracellular network of protein fibers called the cytoskeleton . In the field of synthetic biology , cell membranes can be artificially reassembled . </P>
<P> The cell membrane ( also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane , and historically referred to as the plasmalemma ) is a biological membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment ( the extracellular space ) . It consists of a lipid bilayer with embedded proteins . The basic function of the cell membrane is to protect the cell from its surroundings . The cell membrane controls the movement of substances in and out of cells and organelles . In this way , it is selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules . In addition , cell membranes are involved in a variety of cellular processes such as cell adhesion , ion conductivity and cell signalling and serve as the attachment surface for several extracellular structures , including the cell wall , the carbohydrate layer called the glycocalyx , and the intracellular network of protein fibers called the cytoskeleton . In the field of synthetic biology , cell membranes can be artificially reassembled . </P>
the main function of the plasma membrane is to
the main function of the plasma membrane is to
protect the cell from its surroundings
protect the cell from its surroundings