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Cell membranes are way more complicated than you think - Nazzy Pakpour

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42,357 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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Cell membranes are structures of contradictions. These oily films are hundreds of times thinner than a strand of spider silk, yet strong enough to protect the delicate contents of life: the cell’s watery cytoplasm, genetic material, organelles, and all the molecules it needs to survive. How does the membrane work, and where does that strength come from? Nazzy Pakpour investigates.

WatchThink 5 Multiple Choice &
3 Open Answer Questions Dig Deeper Learn More Discuss 2 Guided Discussions &
1 Open Discussion
A ________ protein is fully on one side or the other of the cell membrane.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Nazzy Pakpour
  • Director Michael Kalopaidis
  • Script Editor Eleanor Nelsen
  • Animator Andria Pourouti
  • Designer Dinos Hadjidemetri
  • Producer Zedem Media
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Julianna Zarzycki

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