# Cell membrane

Source: https://onco.cc/terms/cell-membrane/  
OnCo record `cell-membrane` (Term). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

The oily outer skin of a cell. Most drugs and antibodies act at this boundary, either by binding to proteins sticking out of it or by slipping through it.

## Summary

The membrane is a double layer of fat molecules studded with proteins: receptors that receive signals, channels and pumps that move molecules in and out, and adhesion molecules that hold cells to their neighbours. Only small, fat-soluble molecules cross it freely, which is why small-molecule drugs can reach targets inside the cell while antibodies (which are large) are restricted to targets on the surface. Antibody-drug conjugates exploit this: the antibody binds a surface protein, the whole complex is swallowed by the cell, and the payload is released inside.

## Fields

- Kind: Term
- Last checked: 2026-09-09
- Also known as: cell membranes; plasma membrane; cell surface; cell-surface; surface of the cell; membrane-bound

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_membrane
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_membrane

## Connected records

- terms: [Antibody](https://onco.cc/terms/antibody/), [Cell](https://onco.cc/terms/cell-term/), [Drug efflux pumps (ABC transporters)](https://onco.cc/terms/efflux-pump/), [Receptor](https://onco.cc/terms/receptor/)
- technologies: [Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC)](https://onco.cc/technologies/adc/), [Monoclonal antibodies](https://onco.cc/technologies/monoclonal-antibody/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/cell-membrane.json