Structure of Phospholipid and why there are useful in the cell membranes?

Question

One of the question on my biology homework....

Help?

Answer 1

Phospholipids have a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails. [Hydrophilic means it likes water, hydrophobic means it doesn't]

And phospholipids are useful in cell membranes because...
In cell membranes, there is a double phospholipid membrane, aka the lipid bilayer where the two hydrophilic heads are on the outside and the hydrophobic tails are on the inside, and the two layers are separated by plasma membrane. So the orientation goes:
head, tail, tail, head

This double membrane is useful because it causes the membrane to be selectively permeable, meaning only small uncharged, and polar molecules (water, carbon dioxide) and hydrophobic molecules (non polar molecules, like oxygen) can go past the membrane without requiring extra energy.

And then I don't know if you need the rest of this.. but on the membrane, there are embedded proteins that help transport other larger polar molecules (sugar molecules) and charged particles (salt), but transporting these require extra energy (ATP).

There are also recognition proteins located on the membrane, which help other cells near by know which cell this one is.

Mm... there are a lot more different types of proteins, but I think that answer should be sufficient. you should go read your biology textbook. They usually have good pictures of the phospholipid membrane. :)

Answer 2

Phospholipids have have amphibolic nature, remeber cell contains about 60-90% based on type of the cells. If the cell hast to have a membrane that should not be soluble in its own contents so you have this lipid which is a part of phospholipid and at the same time various process to occur we need membrane cabability of being intact and solubility in medium of cell that is water, the phosporous part has this ability it forms Hydrogen bods with water and intimate contact with water withing the cell for various process to occur and at the same time the membrane is not dissoled just like salt in water,thats helped by lipid part and this is the reason we have phospholipid bilayer with embedded protiens as our cell membrane,Embedded proteins functions a chanels for various functions

Answer 3

Phospholipids have "hydrophilic" heads and "hydrophobic" tails which are important for the separtion of water or other things, which in turn help protect the cells and able to regulate things in and out of the cells.

Read your biology text book about phospholipids....you'll find the answer...remember to study and understand it...don't think of it as only homework and just ignore it. It's important to know and will be handy knowledge in the future.