The cell membrane has a vital role in the
maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance and
is one of the most important components of the
cell (Porth 2011). The cell membrane controls
the movement of fl uids between the intracellular
and extracellular compartments (Porth 2011).
Structurally, the cell membrane consists mainly of
lipids and proteins and is known as a phospholipid
bilayer (Tortora and Derrickson 2009a) (Figure 1).
The main structure is created by the back-to-back
arrangement of phospholipids, which is stabilised by
cholesterol and glycolipids (Thibodeau and Patton
2012).