Membrane potentials fluid-mosaic model

Figure 9.24 The fluid-mosaic model of plasma membrane. Phospholipids with darkened heads are on the cytosol side of the bilayer, and the lipids with unfilled heads are on the outer surface. In intrinsic proteins one or more a-helical segments are in contact with the hydrophobic environment of the bilayer. They usually have hydrophobic amino acid side chains. Carbohydrate is indicated by hexagons. The membrane potential (negative inside) is indicated by AV. (Reproduced by permission from Vance DE, Vance JE. Biochemistry of Lipids and Membranes. Menlo Park Benjamin/Cummings, 1985, p. 26.)...

Upon contact with the microbial cells, the diluent molecules dissolve in the cytoplasmic membrane and cause its swelling [19]. This leads to disruption of the transmembrane potential, pH gradient across the cytoplasmic membrane, and it ultimately leads to disruption of the ion-active pumps [20]. Fluid-mosaic model has been widely accepted as the best description of the real-time structure of biological membranes, and it states that the cytoplasmic membrane exists in a fluid state under physiological conditions [21]. 

Fatty acids have important roles in membrane structure and there are several ways by which they can potentially influence the functions of membrane proteins (and indeed some intracellular proteins). The fluid mosaic model of membrane structure describes biological membranes as dynamic and responsive structures. It is now also recognized that domains exist in membranes, where lipid-protein and lipid-lipid interactions may be highly... 

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