Biology 2382B Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Amphiphile, Sphingolipid, Sphingomyelin

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Membranes define what a cell is and allow for specialized cellular functions to occur in a localized manner. The major components of the biomembrane are lipids, sterols and proteins. Biomemebranes are made up of amphipathic components (known as phospholipids) which are part hydrophobic and part hydrophilic. Due to their amphipathicity, phospholipids spontaneously form lipid bilayers (known as micelles) in aqueous solution such that the hydrophobic regions are shielded from water, where properties of the fatty acids confer properties onto the bilayers. These bilayers are basically plasma membranes, which can include up to 50% protein on their surfaces. The functionality of the membranes is made possible by the phospholipids and proteins embedded upon their surface. Fatty acids & the effect of double bonds on fatty acid structure: Fatty acids are biomolecules that display amphipathicity, being composed of long hydrocarbon (non- polar) chains attached to a polar carboxyl head group.

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