This combination contributes to the fluidity of the continually moving tails. Saturated fatty acids make up some lipid tails, while unsaturated fatty acids make up others. Water repels and attracts hydrophobic molecules. The lipid tails, on the other hand, are uncharged, nonpolar, and hydrophobic, which means they are afraid of water. The negatively charged phosphate group makes the head polar and hydrophilic, or “water loving.” As a result, the phosphate heads are drawn to the water molecules in their surroundings. A phosphate group on one end, referred to as the “head,” and two side-by-side chains of fatty acids, referred to as the “tails,” make up a single phospholipid molecule. Ī phospholipid is an amphipathic molecule, meaning it has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic elements. Phospholipid structure :ĬH 2 OH-CHOH-CH 2 OH is the chemical formula of phospholipid. This semi-permeable barrier prevents polar molecules from passing through, letting the cell regulate the concentration of different chemicals via protein channels. The surface can operate as a cellular membrane when the phospholipid molecules are linked by other lipids and integral proteins. The plasma membrane is made up of a bilayer of phospholipid molecules. A phospholipid is an amphiphilic molecule found in cell membranes that consists of a polar head region, a unit of glycerol, and two or more non-polar fatty acid tails.

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