What is the term for the water loving heads of a phospholipid?

What is the term for the water loving heads of a phospholipid?

A phospholipid consists of a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and hydrophobic (water-fearing) tail. In water, phospholipids spontaneously form a double layer called a lipid bilayer, in which the hydrophobic tails of phospholipid molecules are sandwiched between two layers of hydrophilic heads.

What is the water loving head of the phospholipid made of?

The heads of the PHOSPHOLIPIDS are composed of glycerol and a phosphate group and like to dissolve in water. Water is a polar molecule (it acts like it has two poles) and other molecules that are polar easily dissolve in water.

When a phospholipid molecule is water loving it is said to be what?

A phospholipid is made up of a polar, phosphorus-containing head, and two long fatty acid (hydrocarbon), non-polar “tails.” That is, the head of the molecule is hydrophilic (water-loving), and the tail is hydrophobic (water-fearing).

What is the hydrophobic portion of a phospholipid called?

Phospholipids consist of a glycerol molecule, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group that is modified by an alcohol. The phosphate group is the negatively-charged polar head, which is hydrophilic. The fatty acid chains are the uncharged, nonpolar tails, which are hydrophobic.

What is the head of a phospholipid called?

Key Points. Phospholipids consist of a glycerol molecule, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group that is modified by an alcohol. The phosphate group is the negatively-charged polar head, which is hydrophilic. The fatty acid chains are the uncharged, nonpolar tails, which are hydrophobic.

What are triglycerides also called?

Triglycerides (TGs, also called neutral fats, triacylglycerols, or triacylglycerides) are a common, simple type of lipid consisting of three long-chain fatty acids esterified to glycerol [126].

What makes up the hydrophilic part of the phospholipid?

As portrayed in the diagrammatic illustration above, the glycerol molecule and the phosphate group makes up the “ hydrophilic ” head, or the water-loving part of the phospholipid. This head is such because of the negatively charged phosphate group that tends to attract the water molecules.

Why is the head of the phospholipid bilayer negatively charged?

This head is such because of the negatively charged phosphate group that tends to attract the water molecules. On the other hand, uncharged saturated and (some) unsaturated fatty acid chains make up the nonpolar tail, which is hydrophobic in nature. As such, these tails tend to repel water molecules.

How are phospholipids adapted to their environment?

As such, these tails tend to repel water molecules. As an amphiphilic molecule, the phospholipid can easily adapt to its environment. However, the structure of phospholipids can be affected by the salinity and pH of the cell’s surrounding environment. When placed in water, phospholipids clump together to form micelles.

Why is the phospholipid bilayer a semipermeable membrane?

Due to the unique physical and chemical properties of the phospholipids, the bilayer becomes a so-called semipermeable membrane which allows the entry of only certain molecules into the cell. In particular, it only allows nonpolar molecules like oxygen, water, and others to pass through it.