Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Polar
Head
Non-polar
Tail
Air
Water
AMPHIPATHIC
LIPID
FIGURE 3.7
Structure of an amphipathic lipid and its orientation at the air
e
water interface.
E. THE HYDROPHOBIC EFFECT
It is quite remarkable that membranes are so stable without any covalent bonds holding
them together! The subtle forces driving membrane bilayer stability must indeed be strong,
if not obvious. These forces are referred to as the Hydrophobic Effect and have been elegantly
discussed by Charles Tanford (
Figure 3.8
) in his two topics, Hydrophobic Effect: Formation of
FIGURE 3.8
Charles Tanford (1921
e
2009)
[14]
.
