Lipids & Membranes Flashcards

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1
Q

What is an advantage of a fluid membrane?

A

Proteins can communicate much faster with each other

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2
Q

What is a property of carbohydrate chains for cell-cell signalling?

A

They are hydrophobic

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3
Q

What membrane is the only one to contain carbohydrates?

A

Plasma membrane

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4
Q

How much of cholesterol is made in the diet?

A

10%

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5
Q

Give 5 examples of proteins in membranes

A
  • Structural
  • Receptors
  • Ion Channels
  • Transporters
  • Enzymes
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6
Q

What are the 3 types of membrane protein and give info on each?

A

Integral (intrinsic) - embedded in the lipid membrane and span the entire membrane. they form either alpha helices or beta strands.

Anchored proteins which are covalently bound fatty acids. They allow fluidity of the membrane.

Peripheral (extrinsic) proteins which are attached to membrane surface by ionic interactions with integral proteins or with the polar head of phospholipids.

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7
Q

Lipids are — in water, — in fat and organic solvents

A

Insoluble, soluble

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8
Q

What are examples of a polar head on phospholipids?

A

choline, ethanolamine, inositol

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9
Q

Why are phospholipids amphiphatic?

A

They have a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails.

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10
Q

What bond holds a fatty acid chain to a glycerol molecule?

A

An ester bond

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11
Q

In a fatty acid, what does (x:y) stand for?

A
x = number of carbons in chain
y = number of double bonds
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12
Q

Draw the cholesterol molecule

A

Look up

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13
Q

What does the polar head of the cholesterol bind to?

A

The head of the phospholipid

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14
Q

What is meant by the lipid bilayer being asymmetrical?

A

The two halves have a different lipid composition.

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15
Q

What is the definition of fluidity?

A

The ease at which lipid molecules move about in the plane of the bilayer (regulates movement of proteins, signalling and exocytosis)

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16
Q

What things regulate the fluidity of the membrane?

A
  • Fatty acids determined by the chain length and saturation degree. Short chain fatty acids reduce the tendency of hydrocarbon interacting and increases fluidity and kinks in unsaturated fatty acids lead to less stable van der waals interactions and hence increases fluidity.
  • High cholesterol content resists the random movement of polar heads and decreases fluidity.
17
Q

Why is increased cholesterol content of red blood cells associated with liver disease?

A

The fluidity of the membrane is decreased and this alters cell shape and impairs oxygen transport.