Question

which of the following ,,would tend to increase membrane fluidity?

1) lower temperature

2) greater proportion of saturated phosholipids

3) relatively high protein content in the membrane

Answer 1

Ans

1.At low temperature, phospholipids in the bilayer cluster together, increasing the intermolecular interactions and decreasing membrane fluidity.

2. The saturated ones do not have double bonds and they can easily rotate ,but unsaturated have double bonds which form kinks and therefore allow more space for movement and thus increases membrane fluidity

3. High Protein content in the membrane will block the pathway and do not increase the membrane fluidity.