Fluid mosaic model
What Fluid mosaic model means in Biology A-Level, as defined for AQA, OCR, Pearson Edexcel.
Definitions of Fluid mosaic model
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Reference: OCR
Describes membranes as a phospholipid bilayer in which proteins are scattered like tiles in a mosaic and can move laterally, giving fluidity.
A phospholipid bilayer containing proteins, glycoproteins and glycolipids, held together by hydrophobic interactions.
The arrangement and any movement of phospholipids, proteins, glycoproteins and glycolipids in the membrane.
The model describing the cell membrane as a fluid phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins that can move laterally.
Topics that use Fluid mosaic model
- Transport across cell membranes (AQA A-Level)
- Biological membranes (OCR A-Level)
- Topic 2: Genes and Health (Pearson Edexcel A-Level)
Related terms
- active transport
- glycoproteins and glycolipids
- Osmosis
- betalain pigment leakage
- calibration curve
- Cell signalling and receptors
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol and fatty-acid saturation
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