Charles Ernest Overton (1865–1933) was a British and Swedish physiologist and biologist, now regarded as a pioneer of the theory of the

cell membrane The cell membrane (also known as the plasma membrane or cytoplasmic membrane, and historically referred to as the plasmalemma) is a biological membrane that separates and protects the interior of a cell from the outside environment (the extr ...

. In the last years of the 19th century Overton did experimental work, allowing the distinction to be drawn between the

cell wall A cell wall is a structural layer that surrounds some Cell type, cell types, found immediately outside the cell membrane. It can be tough, flexible, and sometimes rigid. Primarily, it provides the cell with structural support, shape, protection, ...

of plants and their cytoplasmic membrane. He studied the permeability of a range of biological materials to around 500 chemical compounds. In 1900, Overton proposed a biomembrane model "Overton Biomembrane Model" which stated that biomembranes are made up of lipids. He gave this statement on the basis of observation of transport of lipid soluble substances across the biomembranes. He came to

Lund University Lund University () is a Public university, public research university in Sweden and one of Northern Europe's oldest universities. The university is located in the city of Lund in the Swedish province of Scania. The university was officially foun ...

in Sweden as a professor, and married Louise Petrén-Overton, the first woman in Sweden with a doctorate in mathematics; they had four children.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Overton, Ernest 1865 births 1933 deaths 19th-century British biologists 20th-century British biologists British physiologists Academic staff of Lund University

See also

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