Membrane fluidity

[dawn1070]

What are 4 factors that affect membrane fluidity? I've looked in a textbook and haven't been able to find 4. However, so far I've been thinking: presence of cholesterol, temperature, composition of phospholipids (i.e. degree of saturation) and presence of membrane proteins/carbohydrates? Not sure about the last one, but wouldn't that affect the dispersion forces between phospholipids?

[JackBean]

I came up with the same three try to look to some biochemistry or MolBiol book

[sweetyarcher]

I can't seem to find the 4th factor...
Umm about carbohydrates and proteins:
Carbohydrates mainly function in cell-cell recognition and aid in adhesion
Proteins on the other hand have diverse functions ranging from transport of molecules to enzymatic activity...
Proteins do show lateral movement in the membrane, but i am not sure if that actually affects the fluidity...


But this pdf file i found lists some factors... http://www.biology.uwaterloo.ca/undergr ... e-2004.pdf

Hope it is useful

[samastemarch]

According to me I have been thinking presence of cholesterol, temperature, composition. Example for degree of saturation. And presence of membrane carbohydrates and proteins. This is affect of the dispersion forces.