Question

Short / Long answer type questions.
Tell how the phosphlipids are arranged in the plasma membrane. What other lipids are present in the membrane, and what functions do they serve?

Answer 1

• Phospholipids in the lipid bilayer are composed of glycerol and 2 fatty acids with $P{O}_4$ group attached to them. These are polar molecules that are made up of a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail.
• Main lipids that are present in the cell membrane are phospholipids, cholesterol and galactolipid.
• The lipids that are present in the cell membrane serve many functions some of which are as follows:-
• They are used for energy storage in the form of lipid droplets. They serve as regulatory agents in cell growth and adhesion ; and serve to increase the enzymatic activities of many enzymes.
• The fundamental function of the lipids to be present in the cell membrane is that the amphipathic nature of these phospholipids enabled the cells to segregate their internal constituents from the external environment.
• Lipids also allow the membrane with the potential for budding, tubulation and fission or fusion like asexual reproductive activities.
• Lipids allow the particular proteins in the membranes to aggregate and other to disperse.
  
• Thus the bilayer of the lipids which make up the membrane of the cells serve many functions as mention above.