Amphipathic
MCAT glossary · MCAT
Definition
Possessing both a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic region, as in a phospholipid.
Amphipathic in plain English
Amphipathic means a single molecule is two-faced: one part loves water and one part hates it. The water-loving end ('hydrophilic') mixes happily with water; the water-fearing end ('hydrophobic'), usually a greasy carbon tail, refuses to. This split personality is incredibly useful — it's exactly why soap lifts grease off your hands (greasy end grabs the oil, watery end lets it rinse away), and it's why phospholipids naturally line up tails-in, heads-out to form the membranes wrapping every one of your cells.
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