Homework SoursePhospholipids make up most of the lipid part of the cell mem
Phospholipids make up most of the lipid part of the cell membrane. Since water exists on both the outside and inside of a cell, which of the following phospholipid arrangements makes the most sense?
| a single layer of phospholipids with the polar heads facing outside the cell |
| two back-to-back phospholipid layers with the non-polar tails facing out on both sides |
| a single layer of phospholipids with the polar heads facing inside the cell |
| two back-to-back phospholipid layers with the polar heads facing out on both sides |
Solution
Two back-to-back phospholipid layers with the polar heads facing out on both sides
plasma membrane or the cell membrane forms a barrier between the cytoplasm and the interior of the cell.It is a bi layered structures comprising of the phosholipids and the proteins.The proteins associated with the membrane may be superficially arranged when they are said to be extrinsic proteins or they may be traversing the membrane when they are said to be the intrinsic or the integral proteins. However it is the phospholipids that form the main component of the membrane.
The phospholipids are made up of fatty acids and alcohol and are arranged in a specific manner. Each phospholipid molecule has an hydrophilic or the water loving head and an hydrophobic or water hating tail. The hydrophilic head faces the exterior .
