Question

1. What are the two most critical functions of membranes?
2. What contributes to membrane fluidity and rigidity?

Answer 1

Answer 1-
Functions of membranes-

• The most critical functions include the transport of nutrients across the cell and allowing the particles to move across it.
• It keeps the waste products or toxic substances out of the cell.

Answer 2-

Membrane structure contributes to its fluidity and rigidity. To illustrate the membrane structure fluid mosaic model is considered which explains the membrane structure. In this model it is explained that the membrane is a phospholipid bilayer which is composed of two layers of lipid and in between a layer protein. This structure contributes to the membrane fluidity. The saturated fatty acids present in the membrane makes the membrane rigid while unsaturated fatty acids contribute to the fluidity of the membrane.