Answer:
structure of the plasma membrane
Step-by-step explanation:
Fluid Mosaic Model:
- The fluid mosaic model, proposed by S.J. Singer and Garth L. Nicolson in 1972,explains the structure and composition of the cell membrane.
- The plasma membrane is a combination of phospoholipids, cholesterol, proteins and carbohydrates.
- According to the model, the plasma membrane is a lipid bilayer made of phospholipids. The bilayer contains a hydophilic end, which interacts with the extracellular matrix and the cytoplasm, and a hydrophobic core that contains phospholipid tails.
- The hydrophobic tails are sandwiched between the hydrophilic phospholipid heads.
- Cholesterol, although less in composition than phospholipids, is an important component of the plasma membrane that provides it its characteristic fluidity and elasticity.
- Proteins are abundantly scattered in the cell membrane. Most of these are transport proteins and transmembrane channels involved in cellular transport.