LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Answer and Explanation: Cholesterol has both an hydrophobic and hydrophilic end, making it an amphipathic molecule. Cholesterol is often wedged into the cell membrane to increase membrane fluidity. Therefore the correct option is b.

Detailed explanation-2: -Cholesterol is a hydrocarbon compound containing 27 carbon and 46 hydrogen atoms, plus 1 oxygen atom. It contains four hydrocarbon steroid rings in between the hydroxyl group and the hydrocarbon chain (Fig. 1). Most of its structure, due to its hydrocarbon composition, is hydrophobic.

Detailed explanation-3: -Lipids and cholesterol consist of hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles (see Fig. 1).

Detailed explanation-4: -Cholesteryl esters are more hydrophobic than unesterified cholesterol, so that after esterification cholesterol is dislocated from the surface lipoprotein monolayer to the core of the particles, where it is sequestered from the aqueous medium that surrounds the lipoprotein particle [21].

Detailed explanation-5: -The hydroxyl group of the cholesterol molecule is hydrophilic and able to fit in with the hydrophilic heads of the phospholipids.