- #1
aychamo
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Hello there;
In class we learn that "cholesterol increases membrane fluidity at low temperatures, and decreases membrane fluidity at high temperatures." I can see how it would increase fluidity at low temperatures since it attachs to the lipid tails of the membrane, which would push them further apart, making them more fluid. But I can't see how it would decrease fluidity at high temperatures. The only thing I could rationalize is that cholesterol must absorb heat which would make the membrane components less energetic (less moving = less fluidity).
Does that sound about right?
Thank you
In class we learn that "cholesterol increases membrane fluidity at low temperatures, and decreases membrane fluidity at high temperatures." I can see how it would increase fluidity at low temperatures since it attachs to the lipid tails of the membrane, which would push them further apart, making them more fluid. But I can't see how it would decrease fluidity at high temperatures. The only thing I could rationalize is that cholesterol must absorb heat which would make the membrane components less energetic (less moving = less fluidity).
Does that sound about right?
Thank you