medium · MCAT bio-biochem
How does the presence of cholesterol affect the fluidity of a biological membrane at high and low temperatures?
- Cholesterol decreases membrane fluidity at all temperatures by increasing the overall thickness of the lipid bilayer.
- Cholesterol increases fluidity at all temperatures because it disrupts the tight packing of the fatty acid tails.
- Cholesterol acts as a 'fluidity buffer,' decreasing fluidity at high temperatures and increasing it at low temperatures.
- Cholesterol has no real effect on fluidity, since its only physiological role is in intracellular signaling cascades.
Sign up free to see the explanation and track your rank →
More MCAT bio-biochem practice
- What genetic term describes a single gene influencing multiple seemingly unrelated traits?
- In the human ear, sound waves cause fluid in the cochlea to… — Which cells are responsible
- An electrophysiologist observes a neuron at its resting memb… — Which ion is primarily res
- A researcher discovers that a population of bacteria survives exposure to an antibiotic be
- Which structure is most likely dysfunctional?
- Which organelle would you expect to be exceptionally well-developed in these cells?
- Which molecule acts as a 'fluidity buffer' in animal cell membranes?
- A scientist is tracking the movement of a secreted protein. If the protein has just left t