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Astonishing Biology Facts

The science of life holds endless surprises. Discover the most incredible facts about cells, genes, evolution and the human body.

253 facts and counting

Did Membrane Proteins Play a Role in the Origin of Life?

origin of lifeprotocellsprimitive membrane proteins
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How Do ABC Transporters Use ATP to Move Molecules Across Membranes?

abc transporteratp hydrolysismembrane transport
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Why Do Some Membrane Proteins Require Lipid Rafts to Function?

lipid raftsmembrane microdomainssignaling
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What Distinguishes Integral Membrane Proteins From Peripheral Ones?

integral membrane proteinsperipheral membrane proteinstransmembrane
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How Did Bacteriorhodopsin Help Us Understand Membrane Protein Structure?

bacteriorhodopsinmembrane protein structureproton pump
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What Is the Role of Glycosylation in Membrane Proteins?

glycosylationglycoproteinscell adhesion
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Why Do Aquaporins Allow Water But Not Protons to Cross Membranes?

aquaporinwater channelmembrane transport
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Can Membrane Proteins Move Laterally in the Lipid Bilayer?

membrane proteinslateral diffusionlipid bilayer
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How Do Ion Channels Select Which Ions Pass Through the Membrane?

ion channelspotassium channelsodium channel
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What Makes G Protein-Coupled Receptors So Important in Medicine?

gpcrreceptorsmembrane proteins
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What Revolutionized Our Understanding of the Phospholipid Bilayer?

phospholipid bilayerfluid mosaic modelsinger and nicolson
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How Does the Phospholipid Bilayer Support Nerve Signal Propagation?

phospholipid bilayeraction potentialmyelin
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What Mechanisms Enable Phospholipid Bilayer Fusion?

phospholipid bilayermembrane fusionsnare proteins
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How Does Cholesterol Regulate Phospholipid Bilayer Fluidity?

phospholipid bilayercholesterolmembrane fluidity
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Why Is the Phospholipid Bilayer Impermeable to Ions?

phospholipid bilayerion impermeabilityhydrophobic barrier
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Did a Simple Oil Drop Experiment Reveal the Bilayer Structure?

phospholipid bilayergorter and grendellipid monolayer
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How Does the Phospholipid Bilayer Bend for Vesicle Transport?

phospholipid bilayermembrane curvaturevesicle transport
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Do Lipid Rafts Organize the Phospholipid Bilayer?

phospholipid bilayerlipid raftscholesterol
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What Causes Asymmetry in the Phospholipid Bilayer?

phospholipid bilayerleaflet asymmetryflippases
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Why Does the Phospholipid Bilayer Act Like a Liquid Crystal?

phospholipid bilayerliquid crystalcholesterol
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How Do Membrane Proteins Move Across the Lipid Bilayer?

membrane proteinslateral diffusionflippase
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Did You Know That Lipid Rafts Organize Membrane Proteins?

lipid raftcell membranemembrane microdomain
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Which Proteins Are Responsible for Cell Membrane Signal Transduction?

signal transductionreceptor proteinsgpcr
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What Happens When the Cell Membrane Loses Its Selectivity?

selective permeabilitycell deathtissue damage
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How Does the Cell Membrane Maintain a Voltage Difference?

membrane potentialsodium-potassium pumpion gradient
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Can the Cell Membrane Perform Endocytosis Without Energy?

endocytosisactive transportcell membrane
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What Is the Role of Glycocalyx on the Cell Membrane?

glycocalyxcell membraneglycoproteins
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Why Do Some Cells Have a Double Membrane?

double membraneorganellenucleus
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How Do Cells Use Cholesterol to Regulate Membrane Fluidity?

cholesterolmembrane fluiditycell membrane
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What Makes the Cell Membrane a 'Fluid Mosaic'?

cell membranefluid mosaiclipid bilayer
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Why do bacteria use hopanoids in their membranes?

hopanoidbacterial membranemembrane stability
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Can cell membranes form nanotubes between cells?

tunneling nanotubeintercellular communicationmembrane nanotube
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What is the glycocalyx on cell membranes?

glycocalyxcell recognitioncarbohydrate
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How do membrane proteins move within the bilayer?

membrane proteinlateral diffusionfrap
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Why are unsaturated fats important in cell membranes?

unsaturated fatmembrane fluidityphospholipid
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Did you know cell membranes have an electric potential?

membrane potentialresting potentialion channel
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Can cell membranes fuse without proteins?

membrane fusionsnare proteinexocytosis
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What role do lipid rafts play in cell signaling?

lipid raftcell signalingcholesterol
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How do cells maintain membrane asymmetry?

membrane asymmetryflippasephospholipid
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Why does the cell membrane use a lipid bilayer?

lipid bilayercell membranephospholipid
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Why Is the Cell Membrane Asymmetric?

cell membranemembrane asymmetryphospholipids
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How Does the Cell Membrane of Bacteria Differ from Eukaryotes?

cell membranebacteriaeukaryotes
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Why Are Some Membrane Proteins Called Integral?

cell membraneintegral membrane proteinstransmembrane domains
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How Does the Cell Membrane Facilitate Endocytosis?

cell membraneendocytosisclathrin
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Why Does the Cell Membrane Have a Glycocalyx?

cell membraneglycocalyxglycoproteins
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How Do Lipid Rafts Function in Cell Signaling?

cell membranelipid raftssignal transduction
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How Do Cells Maintain a Membrane Potential?

cell membranemembrane potentialsodium-potassium pump
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Why Do Animal Cell Membranes Contain Cholesterol?

cell membranecholesterolmembrane fluidity
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How Does the Cell Membrane Control What Enters and Leaves?

cell membraneselective permeabilitytransport proteins
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Why Is the Cell Membrane Considered a Fluid Mosaic?

cell membranefluid mosaic modelmembrane fluidity
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