Plasma Membrane Phospholipids

Question

Plasma membrane phospholipids
A) have tails that face the exterior of the membrane.
B) have a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails.
C) have polar (charged) tails.
D) are arranged in a single layer.
E) are 95% cholesterol.

Accepted Answer

Plasma membrane phospholipids have a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails. This means that the head of the phospholipid is attracted to water (hydrophilic) while the tails are repelled by water (hydrophobic). This results in the formation of a bilayer with the hydrophilic heads facing the aqueous environment (either the cytoplasm or extracellular environment) and the hydrophobic tails facing each other in the interior of the membrane. This arrangement provides a stable, yet flexible, barrier between the cell's interior and exterior environments.