Proteins that are found embedded within the membrane, are called intrinsic proteins (or integral proteins).

Intrinsic proteins may

be found in the inner layer, the outer layer or, most commonly, spanning the whole membrane, in which
case they are known as transmembrane proteins.In transmembrane proteins, the hydrophobic regions which cross the membrane are
often made up of one or more α-helical chains.
Intrinsic proteins have hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. They stay in the membrane because the hydrophobic regions, made from
hydrophobic amino acids, are next to the hydrophobic fatty acid tails andare repelled by the watery environment either side ofthe
membrane. The hydrophilic regions, made from hydrophilic amino acids, are repelled by the hydrophobic interior of the membrane and
therefore face into the aqueous environment inside or outside the cell, or line hydrophilic pores which pass through the membrane.Most
of the intrinsic protein molecules float like mobile icebergs in the phospholipid layers, although some are fixed like islands to structures
inside or outside the cell and do not move about.

A second type of protein molecule is the extrinsic protein (or peripheral protein). These are found on the inner or outer surface of the
membrane. Many are bound to intrinsic proteins. Some are held in other ways – for example, by binding to molecules inside or outside
the cell, or to the phospholipids.