amphiphilic

Examples of amphiphilic in the following topics:

• Soaps & Detergents

  • Such molecules are termed amphiphilic (Gk. amphi = both) or amphipathic.
  • This illustrates a second important factor contributing to the use of these amphiphiles as cleaning agents.
  • The oldest amphiphilic cleaning agent known to humans is soap.
  • These problems have been alleviated by the development of synthetic amphiphiles called detergents (or syndets).
  • By using a much stronger acid for the polar head group, water solutions of the amphiphile are less sensitive to pH changes.

• Salt Formation

  • Such molecules are termed amphiphilic (Gk. amphi = both) or amphipathic.

• Lipid Biosynthesis

  • Lipids may be broadly defined as hydrophobic or amphiphilic small molecules.
  • The amphiphilic nature of some lipids allows them to form structures such as vesicles, liposomes, or membranes in an aqueous environment.

• Selective Permeability

  • Recall that plasma membranes are amphiphilic; that is, they have hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions.

• Phospholipids

  • As ionic amphiphiles, phospholipids aggregate or self-assemble when mixed with water, but in a different manner than the soaps and detergents.

• Regulation of Blood Cholesterol Levels

  • Since cholesterol is insoluble in blood, it is transported in the circulatory system within lipoproteins , which are complex discoidal particles that have an exterior composed of amphiphilic proteins and lipids whose outward-facing surfaces are water-soluble and inward-facing surfaces are lipid-soluble; triglycerides and cholesterol esters are carried internally.

• Fluid Mosaic Model

  • The main fabric of the membrane is composed of amphiphilic or dual-loving, phospholipid molecules.