Lipids and Phospholipids. The structure of the lipid bilayer explains its function as a barrier. Lipids are fats, like oil, that are insoluble in water. There are two important regions of a lipid that provide the structure of the lipid bilayer.
http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/cellstructure/cellmembranes/section1.html
Phospholipids are amphipathic molecules that make up the bilayer of the plasma membrane and keep the membrane fluid.
https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/biological-macromolecules-3/lipids-55/phospholipids-300-11433/
Answers.com® is making the world better one answer at a time. two. biphospholipid. bi (meaning two) phospho (refering to the phosphorous group) lipid (fatty acid). the plasma membrane of a cells consists of two layers of phospholipids. now go look it up yourself and make sure this is correct instead of relying on a stranger.
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In each layer of a plasma membrane, the hydrophobic lipid tails are oriented inwards and the hydrophilic phosphate groups are aligned so they face outwards, either toward the aqueous cytosol of the cell or the outside environment.
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/plasmamembrane/plasmamembrane.html
The left image shows a phospholipid, and the right image shows the chemical makeup. Phosphatidyl choline is the major component of lecithin. It is also a source for choline in the synthesis of acetylcholine in cholinergic neurons. Phospholipids are a class of lipids that are a major component of all cell membranes. They can form lipid bilayers because of their amphiphilic characteristic. The structure of the phospholipid molecule generally consists of two hydrophobic fatty acid tails and a hydrophilic head consisting of a phosphate group. The two components are joined together by a glycerol molecule.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phospholipid
The structure is called a lipid bilayer because it is composed of two layers of fat cells organized in two sheets. The lipid bilayer is typically about five nanometers thick and surrounds all cells providing the cell membrane structure. The structure of the lipid bilayer explains its function as a barrier.
http://www.sparknotes.com/biology/cellstructure/cellmembranes/section1.html
According to the accepted current theory, known as the fluid mosaic model, the plasma membrane is composed of a double layer (bilayer) of lipids, oily substances found in all cells (see Figure 1).
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/plasmamembrane/plasmamembrane.html
Defining Characteristics of Phospholipids. Phospholipids are major components of the plasma membrane, the outermost layer of animal cells. Like fats, they are composed of fatty acid chains attached to a glycerol backbone. Unlike triglycerides, which have three fatty acids, phospholipids have two fatty acids that help form a diacylglycerol.
https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/biological-macromolecules-3/lipids-55/phospholipids-300-11433/
Within the phospholipid bilayer of the plasma membrane, many diverse proteins are embedded, while other proteins simply adhere to the surfaces of the bilayer.
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/plasmamembrane/plasmamembrane.html
The two layers of phospholipids arranged in such a way that their hydrophobic tails are projecting inwards while their polar head groups are projecting on the outside surfaces. Supplement. This arrangement of phospholipids in bilayer is used to describe the cell membranes of many animal and plant cells. The two layers of phospholipids are arranged in a way that their hydrophobic tails are projecting to the interior whereas their hydrophilic heads are projecting the exterior. This organization of phospholipids in the cell membranes makes the latter selectively permeable to ions and molecules.
http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/Phospholipid_bilayer
how many layers of phospholipids make up the plasma membrane?
Two layers of phospholipids make up the plasma membrane.