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Membrane Fluidity

Membrane Fluidity

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.

Membrane Fluidity

Membrane Fluidity

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...

The Fluid Mosaic Model

The Fluid Mosaic Model

The fluid mosaic model was first proposed as a visual representation of research observations. The model comprises the composition and dynamics of membranes and serves as a foundation for future membrane-related studies. The model depicts the structure of the plasma membrane with a variety of components, which include phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates. These integral molecules are loosely bound, defining the cell’s border and providing fluidity for optimal function.

Fluid Mosaic Model

Fluid Mosaic Model

Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Preparation and Structural Evaluation of Epithelial Cell Monolayers in a Physiologically Sized Microfluidic Culture Device

Preparation and Structural Evaluation of Epithelial Cell Monolayers in a Physiologically Sized Microfluidic Culture Device

Published on: July 1, 2022

Shape-Independent Fluidization in Epithelial Cell Monolayers.

Pradip K Bera, Anh Q Nguyen, Molly McCord

|March 13, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Epithelial tissue fluidity can increase without changing cell shape, challenging existing models. A new framework reveals that cell adhesion

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Published on: January 10, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 14, 2026

Preparation and Structural Evaluation of Epithelial Cell Monolayers in a Physiologically Sized Microfluidic Culture Device

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Published on: July 1, 2022

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A Microfluidic System with Surface Patterning for Investigating Cavitation Bubble(s)–Cell Interaction and the Resultant Bioeffects at the Single-cell Level

A Microfluidic System with Surface Patterning for Investigating Cavitation Bubble(s)–Cell Interaction and the Resultant Bioeffects at the Single-cell Level

Published on: January 10, 2017

Area of Science:

Cell biology
Biophysics
Tissue dynamics

Background:

Tissue fluidity is crucial for embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer metastasis.
Current models link epithelial fluidity to cell shape, influenced by cortical tension and cell adhesion.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate epithelial fluidization mechanisms independent of cell shape.
To challenge the prevailing geometric framework for epithelial jamming-fluidization transitions.

Main Methods:

Experimental observation of epithelial monolayers.
Manipulation of cell-cell adhesion.
Development of a generalized theoretical model incorporating adhesion energetics and friction.

Main Results:

Reduced cell-cell adhesion significantly increased epithelial fluidity without altering cell shape, density, or traction.
This shape-independent fluidization contradicts current vertex models.
The generalized model, accounting for adhesion's dual role (energetics and friction), quantitatively explained the experimental data.

Conclusions:

Epithelial fluidity is not solely governed by cell shape; adhesion plays a dual role.
A comprehensive understanding requires considering both the thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of cell adhesion.
The interplay between adhesive energetics and dissipative friction is essential for epithelial tissue dynamics.