This is the plasma membrane, or the cell membrane, depending on what textbook you’re using or who you’re talking to. For clarity’s sake, I will use the term “plasma membrane”. This membrane is semipermeable, meaning that small particles can cross it with no problems. Larger particles will need help crossing this border, and it can be done in one of two ways: either through a channel built for that item, or by being “escorted” through the membrane by a piece of the membrane itself.
This plasma membrane also acts as a barrier from invaders. Most bacteria and viruses need to go through a special channel, though some are small enough that they can get into the cell that way. Lysosomes usually catch these things before they can really harm the cell.
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