Final answer:
Defensins are peptides with amphipathic properties as they have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. This property allows them to interact with bacterial cell membranes and their environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defensins are peptides from mammalian phagocytes that contain 6 Cys residues that stabilize the peptide structure by forming three intramolecular disulphide bridges. They have an amphipathic property, which means that they have both hydrophobic (water-avoiding) and hydrophilic (water-attracting) regions. This property is important for their function as antimicrobial peptides, as it allows them to interact with both the lipid-rich bacterial cell membranes and the watery environment surrounding them.