In biology, the thin layer that forms the outer boundary of a living cell or of an internal cell compartment.
The outer boundary is the plasma membrane, and the compartments enclosed by internal membranes are called organelles. Biological membranes have a dual function: separation of vital but incompatible metabolic processes conducted in the organelles; and passage of nutrients, wastes, and metabolic products between organelles and between the cell and the outside environment. Membranes consist largely of a double layer of ions and water-soluble molecules across the membrane. See also {{link=cytoplasm">cytoplasm , eukaryote .