The fluid mosaic model describes the plasma membrane as

  • A. a rigid protein sheet with lipids attached
  • B. a phospholipid bilayer with proteins embedded in and moving through it
  • C. a single layer of phospholipids
  • D. a continuous layer of cholesterol

Explanation

Singer and Nicolson described a bilayer of phospholipids in which proteins float like icebergs, free to move laterally. Fluid refers to that lateral movement and mosaic to the scattered pattern of proteins. Cholesterol is present between the phospholipids and modulates fluidity, but it does not form a layer of its own.

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