Anesthetics such as ether, chloroform and nitrous oxide reduce responsiveness of cells by blocking ion channels and altering other properties of cells. What chemical property of these molecules enables them to easily enter cells?
The property that enables anesthetics such as ether, chloroform, and nitrous oxide to easily enter cells is their ability to dissolve in lipids or fats. Lipid solubility is a crucial factor for a molecule to be able to freely pass through cell membranes, which are primarily composed of lipids. This property allows them to diffuse across the cell membrane and enter the cell more rapidly.
To understand this concept further, let's dive into the details. The cell membrane is made up of a lipid bilayer, which is composed of two layers of lipid molecules. These lipid molecules have hydrophilic (water-attracting) heads and hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails. As a result, the interior of the cell membrane is hydrophobic.
Anesthetics are typically nonpolar molecules, meaning they lack a significant charge distribution. Due to their nonpolar nature, they can dissolve in and interact with the hydrophobic lipid tails, making it easier for them to traverse the cell membrane.
Additionally, since cells are primarily composed of water, the nonpolar anesthetic molecules tend to partition into the lipid-rich regions due to the hydrophobic effect. This facilitates their rapid diffusion through the cell membrane and their subsequent entry into the cells.
In summary, the lipid solubility of anesthetics allows them to easily pass through cell membranes and enter cells, where they can then exert their effects on ion channels and other cellular properties.