The temperature at which the crystalline

Membrane fluidity is increased by

  1. Stearic Acid

  2. Palmitic Acid

  3. Cholesterol

  4. Linoleic acid

View Explanation

The temperature at which the crystalline or gel like state of membrane structures turns into fluid like state is known as Transition temperature. Higher the transition temperature, lower the fluidity of the membrane. The transition temperature is increased maximum by the more saturated fatty acids which interact with each other through their long chains strongly and results in lesser fluidity.

The question is about what increases the fluidity. That means, what decreases the transition temperature. Unsaturated fatty acids like Linoleic and Linolenic acids decrease the transition temperature and increase the fluidity of the cell membrane. Though cholesterol also increases the fluidity at temperatures below the transition temperature, it decreases fluidity above transition temperatures.