what is the function of the phospholipid bilayer?
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Phospholipid bilayers are critical components of cell membranes. The lipid bilayer acts as a barrier to the passage of molecules and ions into and out of the cell. However, an important function of the cell membrane is to allow selective passage of certain substances into and out of cells.
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Phospholipids are major components of the plasma membrane, the outermost layer of animal cells. Like fats, they are composed of fatty acid chains attached to a glycerol backbone. Unlike triglycerides, which have three fatty acids, phospholipids have two fatty acids that help form a diacylglycerol.
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['The lipid bilayer (or phospholipid bilayer) is a thin polar membrane made of two layers of lipid molecules. ... ', 'Biological bilayers are usually composed of amphiphilic phospholipids that have a hydrophilic phosphate head and a hydrophobic tail consisting of two fatty acid chains.']
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Phospholipids. The membrane bilayer contains many kinds of phospholipid molecules, with different sized head and tail molecules. These consist of a head molecule, a phosphate molecule, a glycerol and two fatty acid chains.
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The cell membrane is made up of a phospholipid bilayer. Phospholipids are lipid molecules made up of a phosphate group head and two fatty acid tails. Importantly, the properties of phospholipid molecules allow them to spontaneously form a double-layered membrane.
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The lipid bilayer (or phospholipid bilayer) is a thin polar membrane made of two layers of lipid molecules. These membranes are flat sheets that form a continuous barrier around all cells. ... Just like the heads, the tails of lipids can also affect membrane properties, for instance by determining the phase of the bilayer.
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The biological membranes of cells are created by two sheets of phospholipid, which contain a lipid tail attached to a polar head. ... This makes the phospholipid bilayer an excellent semipermeable membrane that allows cells to keep their contents separated from the environment and other cells.
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Cholesterol functions to immobilise the outer surface of the membrane, reducing fluidity. It makes the membrane less permeable to very small water-soluble molecules that would otherwise freely cross. It functions to separate phospholipid tails and so prevent crystallisation of the membrane.
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Membrane proteins can function as enzymes to speed up chemical reactions, act as receptors for specific molecules, or transport materials across the cell membrane.
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Lipid Bilayer Structure The lipid bilayer is a universal component of all cell membranes. Its role is critical because its structural components provide the barrier that marks the boundaries of a cell. The structure is called a "lipid bilayer" because it is composed of two layers of fat cells organized in two sheets.
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The plasma membrane, or the cell membrane, provides protection for a cell. It also provides a fixed environment inside the cell. And that membrane has several different functions. One is to transport nutrients into the cell and also to transport toxic substances out of the cell.
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A Phospholipid Bilayer The plasma membrane is composed mainly of phospholipids, which consist of fatty acids and alcohol. The phospholipids in the plasma membrane are arranged in two layers, called a phospholipid bilayer. As shown in the Figure below, each phospholipid molecule has a head and two tails.
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Lipids function in energy storage, cell membrane structure, protection of living surfaces and chemical signaling. ... The major types of lipids are fats, oils, waxes, steroids and phospholipids, which make up cell membranes.
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Eukaryotic Plasma Membrane: The eukaryotic plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer with proteins and cholesterol embedded in it. The cell membrane is an extremely pliable structure composed primarily of two adjacent sheets of phospholipids. Cholesterol, also present, contributes to the fluidity of the membrane.
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Answer Expert Verified The answer is D. The reason for this is, as stated in your question, it is called a phospholipid bilayer.
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The plasma membrane, or the cell membrane, provides protection for a cell. ... One is to transport nutrients into the cell and also to transport toxic substances out of the cell. Another is that the membrane of the cell, which would be the plasma membrane, will have proteins on it which interact with other cells.
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A cell's plasma membrane contain proteins and other lipids (such as cholesterol) within the phospholipid bilayer. Biological membranes remain fluid because of the unsaturated hydrophobic tails, which prevent phospholipid molecules from packing together and forming a solid.