Phospholipids on the Town

In this animation, we detailed the chemical structure and formations of phospholipids. Phospholipids are composed of a phosphate head (Phosphate and oxygen) attached to hydrocarbon chains, which are composed of, as the name suggests, hydrogen and carbon. Together, these form a phospholipid. When surrounded by an aqueous environment, the phospholipids go into one of three formations: a mycelle, or circle, with the hydrocarbon chains on the inside, a phospholipid monolayer, or a straight line with the hydrocarbon chains pointed away from the water, or a phospholipid bilayer, two lines of phospholipids facing each other with the hydrocarbon chains on the inside.These formations are due to the fact that the hydrocarbon chains are hydrophobic, or averse to contact with water, while the phosphate head is hydrophilic, or attracted to water. Within phospholipids are proteins that conducts materials in and out of a membrane. They can use passive transport and facilitated transport, which both go with the concentration gradient, or they can use active transport, which goes against the concentration gradient and uses ATP. Enjoy!