Tutorial

Tuesday
August

Tutorial 2 16
SCES3373 Topic

Describe the fluid mosaic model of

Prepared by: cell membranes. What imparts
Izuwanie (BM4) fluidity to the membrane? What
Mathilda (BM5) makes it a mosaic?
Sorfina (BM5)
Fluid Mosaic Model
Concept

The fluid mosaic model was proposed by S.J. Singer and Garth L.
Nicolson. This model explains the structure of the plasma membrane
of animal cells as a mosaic of components such as phospholipids,
proteins, cholesterol, and carbohydrates. These components give a
fluid character to the membranes.
Fluid Mosaic Model Click Here
Concept

The fluid mosaic model describes the

cell membrane as a tapestry of several
types of molecules (phospholipids,
cholesterols, and proteins) that are
constantly moving. This movement
helps the cell membrane maintain its
role as a barrier between the inside
and outside of the cell environments.
 Integral
Phospholipid
What imparts proteins
fluidity to the
membrane?

Peripheral
proteins
Cholesterol
Carbohydrates
What makes it a mosaic?
Fluid mosaic model of a cell membrane
It is sometimes referred to as a fluid mosaic because
it has many types of molecules which float along the
lipids due to the many types of molecules that make
up the cell membrane.
The fluid mosaic model describes the
structure of the plasma membrane as a
mosaic of components —including
phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and
carbohydrates—that gives the
membrane a fluid character. Plasma
membranes range from 5 to 10 nm in
thickness.
Mosaic – the phospholipid bilayer is
embedded with proteins, resulting in a
mosaic of components.
 Section Summary
The modern understanding of the plasma membrane is referred to as the
fluid mosaic model. The plasma membrane is composed of a bilayer of
phospholipids, with their hydrophobic, fatty acid tails in contact with
each other.
The fluid nature of the membrane owes itself to the configuration of the
fatty acid tails, the presence of cholesterol embedded in the membrane
(in animal cells), and the mosaic nature of the proteins and protein-
carbohydrate complexes, which are not firmly fixed in place.
Plasma membranes enclose the borders of cells, but rather than being a
static bag, they are dynamic and constantly in flux.
Thank You