Topic 2- Genes and Health

Question 1

what is a phospholipid?

Answer 1

a molecule consisting of glycerol, two fatty acids and a phosphate linked head group

Question 2

how thick is the phospholipid bilayer

Answer 2

5 to 10 nm

Question 3

is the fatty acid tails hydrophobic or hyrophyllic?

Answer 3

hydrophobic

Question 4

is the phospholipid head hydrophyllic or hydrophobic?

Answer 4

hydrophyllic

Question 5

what is the function of cholestrol in the membrane

Answer 5

they make the membrane more rigid and regulates membrane fluidity

Question 6

which part of the fluid mosaic model does the phospholipid bilayer form

Answer 6

the fluid part

Question 7

what type of proteins are embedded in the bilayer

Answer 7

membrane bound proteins (intrinsic proteins)

Question 8

what does membrane bound (intrinsic) proteins form

Answer 8

they form open pores that allow the diffusion of large molecules across the bilayer or act as transport proteins that bind to specific molecules and carry them across the membrane

Question 9

what are the functions of glycolipids and glycoproteins?

Answer 9

• cell signaling receptors and have active binding sites for communication molecules
  -they are able to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules surrounding the cell

Question 10

how does temperature affect the permeablility of cell membranes

Answer 10

higher temeratures increase the fluidity of the membrane, increasing its permeability

Question 11

how does solvent concentration affect the permeability of cell membranes

Answer 11

the more easily the phospholipid bilayer is dissolved, the more permeable the membrane is

Question 12

how does pH affect the permeability of cell membranes

Answer 12

pH affects the protein structure in the cell membrane