Identify true statements about cholesterol and its role in membrane fluidity. Cholesterol is generally buried in the bilayer, with its planar rings oriented toward the solvent and its hydroxyl group aligned with the fatty acid tails of the bilayer. Cholesterol decreases membrane fluidity in areas called rafts, which contain large amounts of sphingolipids and cholesterol.

Question

Biology

Chris Sims

10 July, 13:07

Identify true statements about cholesterol and its role in membrane fluidity. Cholesterol is generally buried in the bilayer, with its planar rings oriented toward the solvent and its hydroxyl group aligned with the fatty acid tails of the bilayer. Cholesterol decreases membrane fluidity in areas called rafts, which contain large amounts of sphingolipids and cholesterol.

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Alexis Peters · Answer 1

It is correct that:

Cholesterol increases the fluidity of the membrane in a membrane that otherwise contains mainly long-chain saturated fatty acids

Cholesterol decreases the fluidity of the membrane in areas called rafts, which contain large amounts of sphingolipids and cholesterol.