What is the role of cholesterol in the cell membrane?
Correct answer: D. It stabilizes the cell membrane.
- A. It functions in joining adjacent cells together.
- B. It functions in recognizing foreign cells.
- C. It increases the rate of transport of ions across the membrane.
- D. It stabilizes the cell membrane.
Explanation
'Cholesterol' is interspersed between the phospholipid bilayer. In case of temperature deviation, the fatty acid tails may melt or freeze. Changing the fluidity of the membrane, that is, with an increase in temperature, the phospholipid entities tend to move away from each other, and in low temperatures, the molecules will move very close to each other, disturbing the membrane's ability to transport substances. Cholesterol is the stabilizing molecule that prevents extreme movement of phospholipids during temperature fluctuation So, the correct answer is 'It stabilizes the cell membrane.'
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About Cell Structure and Function
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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