Table 1

Amounts of Protein, Lipid and Carbohydrate

in Different Biological Membranes

Approximate Percentage of Dry Weight

Membranes
Protein
Lipid
Carbohydrate
Plasma membranes:

red blood cells

liver cells

amoeba

myelin

49

54

54

18

43

36

42

79

8

10

4

3
Nuclear envelope
66
32
2
Endoplasmic reticulum
62
27
10
Golgi complex
64
26
10
Mitochondrion:

outer membrane

inner membrane

55

78

45

22

trace

---
Chloroplast inner

membrane

70

30

---

Sources: Guidotti, G. 1972 An. Rev. Biochem. and Lotan, R. and Nicholson, G.L. in Advanced Cell Biology ed. by L.M. Schwartz and M.M. Azar. Van Nostrand (New York; 1981).