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Phospholipids [1] are a class of lipids whose molecule has a hydrophilic "head" containing a phosphate group and two hydrophobic "tails" derived from fatty acids, joined by an alcohol residue (usually a glycerol molecule). Marine phospholipids typically have omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA integrated as part of the phospholipid molecule. [2]
The origin of this energy is the fact that creating such an interface exposes some of the lipid tails to water, but the exact orientation of these border lipids is unknown. There is some evidence that both hydrophobic (tails straight) and hydrophilic (heads curved around) pores can coexist. [85] [86]
They are usually organized into a bilayer in membranes with the polar hydrophilic heads sticking outwards to the aqueous environment and the non-polar hydrophobic tails pointing inwards. [6] Glycerophospholipids consist of various diverse species which usually differ slightly in structure. The most basic structure is a phosphatidate.
Phospholipids and glycolipids consist of two long, nonpolar (hydrophobic) hydrocarbon chains linked to a hydrophilic head group. The heads of phospholipids are phosphorylated and they consist of either: Glycerol (and hence the name phosphoglycerides given to this group of lipids), or; Sphingosine (e.g. sphingomyelin and ceramide).
Phospholipid bilayer. Each phospholipid consists of a polar hydrophilic head (red) and two hydrophobic fatty acid tails. The fatty acid structure affects the bilayer structure. Fatty acids with an unsaturated tail (blue) disrupt the packing of those with only saturated tails (black).
Phosphorylcholine (abbreviated ChoP) is the hydrophilic polar head group of some phospholipids, which is composed of a negatively charged phosphate bonded to a small, positively charged choline group.
In some cases, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties occur in a single molecule. An example of these amphiphilic molecules is the lipids that comprise the cell membrane. Another example is soap, which has a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail, allowing it to dissolve in both water and oil.
As water molecules have an affinity towards hydrophilic head groups, they try to arrange themselves around the head groups of the lipid molecules and it becomes very hard to separate this favorable combination. Experiments performed through SFA have confirmed that the nature of this force is an exponential decline. [5] The potential V R is ...