Explain6 marksChallenge
Cholesterol is an important component of animal cell surface membranes. The fluidity of normal membranes and membranes from which cholesterol has been removed was measured at different temperatures using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). The results are shown in the table.
| Temperature / °C | Fluidity (arbitrary units) in normal membranes | Fluidity (arbitrary units) in cholesterol-depleted membranes |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 45 | 30 |
| 25 | 60 | 55 |
| 40 | 70 | 80 |
Explain the role of cholesterol in the fluid mosaic model, using the data to support your answer.