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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

150.1K
Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
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Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

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Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
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Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation01:29

Cholesterol: Significance and Regulation

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Although not a source of energy, cholesterol plays a significant role as a foundational structure for bile salts, steroid hormones, and vitamin D, as well as being a crucial component of plasma membranes. Approximately 15% of blood cholesterol is derived from our diet, with the remainder synthesized from acetyl CoA by the liver and intestines. Cholesterol is eliminated from the body through its conversion into bile salts, which are eventually discarded in the feces.
Considering cholesterol and...
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Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

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Lipids are an essential component of all biological membranes. The average lipid content in mammalian membranes is 50%, though it can be as low as 20% in the inner mitochondrial membrane or as high as 80% in the myelin sheath present around the nerve cells.
Phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and sphingomyelin are the most common phospholipids present in mammalian membranes. At physiological pH, phosphatidylserine is negatively charged, while the other three...
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Membrane Lipids01:32

Membrane Lipids

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Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism01:28

Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism

25.4K
Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
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Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol
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Enrichment of Mammalian Tissues and Xenopus Oocytes with Cholesterol

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Cholesterol's aliphatic side chain modulates membrane properties.

Holger A Scheidt1, Thomas Meyer, Jörg Nikolaus

  • 1Institut für Medizinische Physik und Biophysik, Universität Leipzig, Härtelstrasse 16-18, 04107 Leipzig (Germany).

Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|January 3, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cholesterol's side chain significantly impacts cell membrane properties. Removing or altering this chain is essential for understanding eukaryotic cell membrane function.

Keywords:
diffusiondomain formationlipidsmembranespermeability

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Cholesterol is a vital lipid component of eukaryotic cell membranes.
  • The structure and function of cholesterol's alkyl side chain in membranes are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of cholesterol's alkyl side chain in modulating membrane properties.
  • To synthesize and analyze cholesterol derivatives with varied side chain lengths and structures.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of cholesterol derivatives lacking a side chain or featuring branched side chains (5-14 carbons).
  • Analysis of membrane properties using these synthetic derivatives.

Main Results:

  • The alkyl side chain of cholesterol is critical for all investigated membrane properties.
  • Variations in side chain length and branching significantly influence membrane behavior.

Conclusions:

  • Cholesterol's side chain is indispensable for maintaining essential membrane properties in eukaryotic cells.
  • Synthetic analogs provide insights into structure-function relationships of membrane lipids.