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Amphipathic

Definition

adjective

(1) Pertains to a molecule containing both polar (water-soluble) and nonpolar (not water-soluble) portions in its structure.

(2) Of, or relating to, a molecule having hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions.


Supplement

Many biomolecules are amphipathic: phospholipids, cholesterol, glycolipids, fatty acids, bile acids, saponins, etc. In fact, it is the amphipathic nature of phospholipids that they form bilayers in cell membrane. They position their polar groups towards the surrounding aqueous medium whereas their hydrophobic chains towards the inside of the bilayer, defining a nonpolar region between two polar ones.


Word origin: amphi > from the Greek amphis meaning both + pathy > comb. form repr. Greek pátheia, suffering, feeling, equiv. to páth(os) + -ic.

Synonym: amphiphilic.


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Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:46 am
 
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Definition of amphipathic

Is this right? amphipathic: a molecule in which there is a difference in water solubility between one end and the other owing to differences in polarity.

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by Joker
Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:07 am
 
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amphipathic molecule

What I know about amphipathic molecules are that they have both hydrophobic regions and hydrophilic regions. But why is it that in a aqueous solution the bilayer it is hydrophilic and monolayer is hrdrophobic?

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by cellbiostudent
Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:57 pm
 
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Hello, I would describe it (with specificity), an amphipathic phospholipid bilayer with molecules (mainly proteins) embedded within the lipids. And it is selectively permeable. Hope that helps.

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Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:17 pm
 
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