NATS 1670 Lecture Notes - Lecture 34: Endoplasmic Reticulum, Phospholipid, Hydrophile
20 Apr 2017
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Document Summary
All living organism are made of cells. New cells are created by old cells dividing into two. Cells are the basic building units of life. Separate the inside of the cell from the outside environment. Provide a surface on which chemical reactions occur. Regulate the passage of materials into/out of cells. The struc. of phospholipids is responsible for the basic fxn of membranes as barriers b/t two polar (water) compartments. Both inside and outside of cell are made of water. Phospholipids have a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic part. Most naturally occurring phospholipids form bilayers spontaneously when they are dispersed in water. For the same reason that drops of oil in water will form a larger drop. The head group, the phosphate and glycerol, is polar and hydrophilic. The hydrophilic portion is associated with water from the both sides of the membrane. The long tail is nonpolar and hydrophobic.
