Keeping in view the fluid mosaic model for the structure of cell membrane, which one of the following statements is correct concerning the movement of lipids and proteins from one lipid monolayer to the other described as a flip-flop movement?
Correct answer: B. Lipid can rarely flip-flop, proteins cannot
- A. Both lipids and proteins can flip-flop
- B. Lipid can rarely flip-flop, proteins cannot
- C. Proteins can flip-flop, lipids can not
- D. Neither lipids nor proteins can flip-flop
Explanation
Lipids can flip-flop, which means that they can move from one leaflet of the membrane to the other. However, this process is very rare because it requires the lipid to pass through the hydrophobic core of the membrane, which is a high-energy barrier. Proteins, on the other hand, cannot flip-flop. This is because they are anchored to the membrane by either their amino acid side chains or by covalent bonds to the phospholipids.
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Animal, plant, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells are compared through their membranes, cell walls, nuclei and cytoplasmic organelles. The work includes the structures and functions of mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and lysosomes, as well as chromosome organization and the distinction between chromatin and chromosomes.
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