Biology

What do you mean by Fluid Mosaic Model of Plasma Membrane?

In 1972 S.J. Singer and G.L Nicolson introduced and explained a model of plasma membrane, called Fluid Mosaic model.

This Fluid Mosaic model is still considered the latest and most acceptable model.

(1) According to this model, it is double layered and each layer is made of phospholipids.

(2) The tail composed of hydrocarbon of both the layers lie face to face and hydrophilic polar parts lie towards the opposite direction

(3) The protein molecules of the membrane are distributed scatteredlly throughout the phospholipids layer

(4) Carbohydrates and other dements also remain scattered throughout the phospholipid layer

a1

5) The permeability and actives of enzymes in the cell surface are changeable.

This changeability is noticed according to the fluid mosaic model Protein and other structural elements are not fixed rather they remain floating in phospholipids. As a result, a mosaic structure of the substance is funned model of membrane supports the presence of protein clematises made of proteins and carbohydrates.