Fluidity of Lipid Bilayers with Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Very Hard Biochemistry Lipids And Membranes

In a laboratory experiment, researchers investigated the effects of varying membrane composition on the fluidity of lipid bilayers. They prepared two different bilayers: one containing a high proportion of saturated fatty acids and another with a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids. After assessing the physical properties of these membranes, the researchers noted several significant differences in their fluidity and permeability to various solutes.

Which of the following statements best explains the observed differences in fluidity between the lipid bilayers that contain saturated versus unsaturated fatty acids?

Saturated fatty acids pack tightly together, resulting in decreased space between phospholipids and reduced fluidity.

Unsaturated fatty acids introduce cis double bonds that create kinks in the hydrocarbon chains, preventing tight packing and increasing fluidity.

The presence of cholesterol uniformly increases fluidity in bilayers regardless of the type of fatty acids present.

Saturated fatty acids are inherently more polar than unsaturated fatty acids, leading to increased hydrogen bonding and lower fluidity.

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