EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -On the biophysical front, cholesterol significantly increases the order of the lipid packing, lowers the membrane permeability, and maintains membrane fluidity by forming liquid-ordered–phase lipid rafts.

Detailed explanation-2: -Cholesterol influences the fluidity of the membrane, and it does so in a bidirectional manner; at high temperatures it decreases fluidity and at low temperatures it increases fluidity. At high temperatures, cholesterol’s flat, rigid structure limits phospholipid movement.

Detailed explanation-3: -Cholesterol modulates the bilayer structure of biological membranes in multiple ways. It changes the fluidity, thickness, compressibility, water penetration and intrinsic curvature of lipid bilayers.

Detailed explanation-4: -The phospholipids membrane also contains cholesterol and it also contains protein and carbohydrate. The plasma membrane is selectively permeable to the ions and organic molecules and helps in the movement of substances in and out of the cells.