cell membrane
nounUK /ˈsel ˌmem.breɪn/
US /ˈsel ˌmem.breɪn/
The thin outer layer of a cell that keeps everything inside safe.
The cell membrane lets water pass through but keeps big things out.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A biological barrier that controls what enters and leaves a cell.
Scientists studied how the cell membrane moves nutrients into the cell.
3. A semipermeable layer made of fats and proteins.
The cell membrane is mostly made of a double layer of lipids.
4. The boundary that separates a cell from its surroundings.
Damage to the cell membrane can cause the cell to leak.