Question

Some regions of the plasma membrane, called lipid rafts, have a higher concentration of cholesterol molecules. As a result, these lipid rafts___________.

Answer 1

The question is incomplete as it does not have the options which are:

A) are more fluid than the surrounding membrane.

B) are more rigid than the surrounding membrane.

C) are able to flip from inside to outside.

D) detach from the plasma membrane and clog arteries.

E) have higher rates of lateral diffusion of lipids and proteins into and out of the lipid rafts.

Answer:

B) are more rigid than the surrounding membrane.

Explanation:

Lipid rafts the are the domains of the plasma membrane which contain a high level of the sphingolipids and the cholesterol.

The fatty acid side chain of the phospholipids of the are more tightly packed and the saturated that the surrounding membrane of lipid and due to the rigid nature of the sterol group of cholesterol which holds the raft together the lipid rafts become more rigid than the surrounding bilayer.

Thus, Option-B is the correct answer.