Question

The fluid mosaic model of plasma membrane shows that

• A. Quasifluid nature of lipid enables lateral movement of proteins within the overall bilayer
• B. Lateral movement within the membrane is measured as its fluidity
• C. Fluid nature of membrane is important for growth, formation of inter-cellular junctions, secretions, endocytosis, cell division etc.
• D. All of the above

Answer 1

The correct option is D All of the above

The modern view of membrane structure, known as the fluid mosaic model, was developed in 1972 by S. J. Singer and G. L. Nicholson and reflects three basic features of membrane structure.
Integral membrane proteins, when viewed from above one surface or the other, contribute a mosaic or 'pebbled' pattern to a membrane and these proteins and the membrane lipids are capable of lateral movement in the plane of the membrane, due to the fluid nature of lipid association.
Lipid-anchored proteins are also potentially mobile as well, moving by virtue of their association with mobile lipids.

Lateral movement of proteins within the bilayer is possible, because of the quasi-fluid nature of the lipid bilayer. The fluid nature of the membrane is also important from many aspects, like cell growth, formation of intercellular junctions, secretion, endocytosis, cell division, etc.
So, the correct answer is option D.