Phospholipid bilayer — Free Biology Illustration

Biology

Phospholipid bilayer

Cross-sectional 2D view of a phospholipid bilayer shown as a thin, flat, flexible horizontal membrane sheet or band. It consists of two parallel opposing layers of repeating phospholipid molecules arranged tail-to-tail, with rows of round hydrophilic polar heads facing outward on both outer surfaces and paired hydrophobic fatty acid or hydrocarbon tails projecting inward to meet in the center. The heads are small circular units, often in light blue, light gray, gold, or other pale tones, while the tails are thinner, slightly darker pale yellow or tan lines, sometimes straight, slightly wavy, or with one tail bent in many molecules. Overall the membrane appears as a continuous organized double sheet with neat repeated phospholipid units and a slightly fluid appearance.

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