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BET1SUP Phospholipids are similar to the triglycerides except one of the fatty acid chains is replaced by a phosphate  containing group.  This  phosphate containing group is very soluble in water.  This in turn forms a single  molecule which has one part very water soluble (polar)  and another part which is not  soluble in water. The  phosphate functional group will be hydrophilic, attracting polar water molecules. The two fatty acids are   hydrophobic and will not mix in the water. Examine and place in your notes figures from your reading showing  phospholipid structure.


Note: Locate the hydrophilic phospholipid part of the fat molecules above.
         Locate the hydrophobic portion of the phospholipid.
 

Read the pages in the text describing phospholipid structure.
 
In biological  membrane which you will  study in miniunit Beta phospholipids line up in such a way that the  nonpolar, hydrophobic tails pack tightly together to form the interior of the membrane, and the phosphate  containing "heads" face outward (some on either side, where they interact with water. The phospholipid forms  a bilayer, a sheet  two molecules thick.  Only nonpolar molecules will be allowed to pass through the lipid   portion of this barrier.  Polar molecules will have to pass through by using special protein molecules or pores.
 
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Last modified October 22, 1997.