Question

State whether the following statements are true or false.
Fluidity of a membrane increases as the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in the phospholipids goes up.

• A. True
• B. False

Answer 1

The correct option is A True

Unsaturated fatty acids are the ones having a double bond in between the fatty acid chain. If unsaturated fatty acids are compressed, the “kinks” in their tails push adjacent phospholipid molecules away, which helps maintain fluidity in the membrane. The ratio of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids determines the fluidity in the membrane at cold temperatures. Cholesterol acts as a bidirectional regulator of membrane fluidity because, at high temperatures, it stabilizes the membrane and raises its melting point.

So, the correct statement is 'True'.