What characteristic do membrane lipids exhibit?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the characteristics of membrane lipids, specifically focusing on their interactions with water and structural properties.
Answer
Amphipathic nature: contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts.
Membrane lipids are amphipathic, meaning they have both a hydrophilic (water-loving) and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) part.
Answer for screen readers
Membrane lipids are amphipathic, meaning they have both a hydrophilic (water-loving) and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) part.
More Information
Amphipathic molecules are crucial for forming lipid bilayers, which is the fundamental structure of cell membranes. The hydrophilic heads face outward towards water, and hydrophobic tails face inward, away from water, creating a stable barrier.
Tips
A common mistake is to think membrane lipids are purely hydrophobic or hydrophilic. They possess both properties, allowing them to form stable structures like bilayers.
Sources
- The Lipid Bilayer - Molecular Biology of the Cell - NCBI Bookshelf - ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- 3.4: Membranes and Membrane Lipids - Chemistry LibreTexts - chem.libretexts.org
- Lipid - Structure, Function, Types | Britannica - britannica.com
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