Phosphlipids-I

Phospholipids have a similar structure to triglycerides. However, in a phospholipid one of the fatty acid is replaced by a phosphate group, so the glycerol combines with two fatty acids and one phosphate group. The hydrophobic fatty acid tails are oriented towards the middle and point away from water and the hydrophilic heads are oriented towards the outside and point towards the water. The hydrophilic heads make contact with watery cytoplasm and extracellular fluid. This causes the phospholipids to form bilayers. This phophoipid bilayer forms the basis of the cell membrane.