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What would happen if the fatty acids in a cell membrane were polar molecules?
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Feb 3, 2019
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What would happen if the fatty acids in a cell membrane were polar molecules?
Biology
high-school
Andrew Cash
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Answer:
The cell would dissolve in water
Step-by-step explanation:
Amachree Tamunoemi
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Feb 4, 2019
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Amachree Tamunoemi
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Fatty acids in the cells are amphiphile, it means they have a polar side (phosphate group) and apolar side (carbon tails).
The polar property
helps the cell to adapt with the aqueous medium (in both sides of the membrane).
The apolar property
helps the membrane to keep its integrity. Since they "hate water"
the apolar side of phospholipid will stay on the inner side of the membrane and be joined together to keep the integrity of the membrane
. It contributes also to the viscosity of the membrane.
If this apolar property doesn't exist, The membrane will be too
water soluble
and dissolves in it,
and the cell could not keep its integrity
Sean Cleaver
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Feb 10, 2019
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Sean Cleaver
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