Wednesday, November 2, 2011

A love/hate relationship....

...the cell membrane lipid (fatty acid + carbohydrate) bilayer!
The hydrophobic (water hating, fatty acid) inner layer keeps the cell impervious to inappropriate invasions, the hydrophilic (water loving, glycerol) layer lets the cell fit into its tissue.
One of the many exquisitely evolved features of the cell, the membrane is not just a bag!
It is an active, critical player in cellular metabolism (and therefore in dysfunction).
It is one of the major reasons we must ingest lipids (fats), which, despite what the foodies say, is not poison.
Some tissues are so dependent on membrane anabolism and catabolism that they are more fat than protein; neuronal and brain tissue (neurons and particularly neuroglia, which forge the connections and conductivity between neurons) is 70% fat.
We are, therefore, all literally fatheads!
Love it, hate it--gotta have it!

No comments:

Post a Comment