Chapter 12, Problem 38RQ

Summary Introduction

To review:

The reason that membranes having a significant proportion of cis-unsaturated fatty acids are more fluid than the ones having saturated fatty acids.

Introduction:

The elongation and desaturation of fatty acids play a considerable role in the fluidity of the membrane. The fluidity of membranes depends upon the variety of fatty acids and their compositional bonds. The fluidity balance is very important for the proper movement of proteins and lipids within the cell membrane, without causing any damage to it, and for the proper functioning of the cell.