plasmalemma
nounUK /ˌplæzməˈlɛmə/
US /ˌplæzməˈlɛmə/
The thin outer skin that holds a cell together and controls what goes in and out.
Water passes through the plasmalemma to keep the cell healthy.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The living membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm of a plant or animal cell.
Under the microscope, the plasmalemma appeared as a faint line around the cell.
3. A semipermeable barrier that separates the inside of a cell from its surroundings.
The plasmalemma is semipermeable, letting some molecules through but not others.
4. The outer boundary layer of a protoplast.
When the protoplast shrank, its plasmalemma pulled away from the cell wall.