Question

Describe with a diagram the fluid mosaic organisation of the plasma membrane.

Answer 1

The diagrammatic representation for the fluid-mosaic model is as follows:


The fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane was given by Singer and Nicolson in 1972. According to this model, the plasma membrane is composed of a bilayer of lipid. This lipid bilayer encompasses two types of proteins called intrinsic proteins and extrinsic proteins. Intrinsic proteins span the lipid bilayer whereas, extrinsic proteins are attached to the lipid bilayer either from the inside or outside of the cell. These proteins are considered as floating in the lipids. Moreover, these proteins perform numerous functions such as catalysis, transportation and endocytosis.