Keeping in view the fluid mosaic model for the stucture of cell membrane, which one of the following statements is correct with respect to the movement of lipids and proteins from one lipid mono layer to the other (described as flip flop movement)

Options

A. Both lipids and proteins can flip-flop
B. While lipids can rarely flip-flop , proteins cannot
C. While proteins can flip-flop , lipids cannot
D. Neither lipids , nor proteins can flip-flop

Answer

B

Explanation

Mobility of membrane proteins due to the fluid property of lipid bilayer was demonstrated by classical experiment of D Frye and M Edidin(1970) Lipid mole cules very rarely migrate from
one lipid monolayer co other monolayer of lipid biomolecular layer
such a type of movement is called flip-flop or ransbilayer movement and occurs once a month for
any individual lipid molecule. But protein can never perform flip-flop movement.