The composition of a cell membrane is not uniform for all types of cells. Some cell membranes are more rigid than others. Rigidity is determined by a variety of factors, one of which is the structure of the carbon chains
in the phospholipids that comprise the membrane. One example of a phospholipid was drawn in Section 3.7A, and another, having C–C double bonds in its carbon chains, is drawn here. Which phospholipid would be present in the more rigid cell membrane and why?
The primary function of the plasma membrane is to protect the cell from its surroundings. Composed of a phospholipids bi layer with embedded proteins, the plasma membrane is selectively permeable to ions and organic molecules and regulates the movement of substances in and out of cells. Plasma membranes must be very flexible in order to allow certain cells, such as red blood cells and white blood cells, to change shape as they pass through narrow capillaries.
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