The substance that forms the outer boundary of a cell and controls material moving in and out of the cell is the plasma membrane. This plasma membrane serves as the border or link between the exterior and interior of the cell.
The functions it carries out include controlling which or how various molecules pass in and out of the cell. These molecules include water, amino acids, ions, and sugars. The polarity and sizes of these molecules determine how it would be easy for them to pass through the membrane.
There are some small and nonpolar molecules that can still pass through the phospholipid part of the membrane directly, such as oxygen. Some other molecules that are larger, hydrophilic, and more polar will have to cross the membrane through protein channels. This process is usually regulated by the cell, and examples of such molecules are amino acids.