[Home]History of Phospholipid

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Revision 3 . . October 28, 2001 12:09 am by Sodium [membrane stuff]
Revision 2 . . (edit) October 27, 2001 11:57 pm by Sodium
Revision 1 . . October 27, 2001 9:43 pm by Magnus Manske [stub-da-dub]
  

Difference (from prior major revision) (author diff)

Changed: 1,2c1
A phospholipid is a lipid whose head contains a positively charged (polar?) group that is linked to its two (unpolar?) tails by a negatively charged phosphate group. Both tails consist of a fatty acid, each 14-24 carbon groups long. Phospholipids are used as building blocks of biological [[membrane
]]s.
A phospholipid is a lipid whose head contains a positively charged (polar?) group that is linked to its two (unpolar?) tails by a negatively charged phosphate group. Both tails consist of a fatty acid, each 14-24 carbon groups long. Phospholipids are used as building blocks of biological membranes.

Added: 4a4,5

Due to the polar nature of their head this section of a phospholipid is attracted to water (it is hydrophilic). The non-polar head is not attracted an it is said to be hydrophobic. When placed in water, phospholipids form a bilayer, where the hydrophobic tails line up against each other. This forms a wall with hydrophillic heads on either side. This wall wis partially permeable and very flexible.

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