BIOMEMBRANES

BIOMEMBRANES

• Membranes consist of lipid, proteins and carbohydrates.
• Membranes are non covalent.
• Major lipid in mammalian membranes are- phospholipids, glycosphingolipids and sterol (cholesterol). 

Fluid Mosaic Model of Biomembranes–

• Proposed by Singer and Nicolson.

• This model is likened to integral membrane protein ‘icebergs’ floating in a sea of predominantly fluid phospholipid molecules.
• At normal body temperature (37 ⁰ C) the lipid bilayer is in a fluid state.
• The longer and more saturated fatty acid chains cause higher values of transition temperature.