Verified Solution Biology Cell: The Unit of Life

A classic experiment involves fusing a human cell and a mouse cell and labeling their membrane proteins with different fluorescent markers. Over time, the markers become intermixed across the entire fused cell membrane. This experiment primarily provides evidence for:

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Solution ✔ Verified
  • AThe presence of glycoproteins on the cell surface.
  • BThe selective permeability of the plasma membrane.
  • CThe fluidity of the lipid bilayer allowing lateral diffusion of proteins.
  • DThe active transport mechanisms embedded in the membrane.
Explanation

The intermixing of fluorescently labeled membrane proteins after cell fusion directly demonstrates the lateral mobility (fluidity) of proteins within the lipid bilayer, a key aspect of the fluid mosaic model.

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