Membrane Fatty Acids

Membrane Fatty Acids

State at Physiological Temperatures

• Semifluid consistency

Major Driving Forces

• Hydrophobic interactions

  • Formation of membrane lipid bilayers

Fluid Character Determinants (SR)

• Structure of fatty acids

• Relative abundance of unsaturated fatty acids

Effects of Unsaturation

• Higher unsaturated fatty acid content increases fluidity

  • Facilitates more rapid active and passive transport.