What part of the plasma membrane is hydrophobic? proteins phospholipid "heads" phospholipid "tails" sugar groups

The **phospholipid "tails"** of the plasma membrane are hydrophobic. Here's a brief overview of each component: - **Phospholipid "tails"**: These are long fatty acid chains that repel water, making them hydrophobic. They face inward, away from the aqueous environment, forming the core of the lipid bilayer. - **Phospholipid "heads"**: These are hydrophilic (water-attracting) and face outward towards the aqueous environments both inside and outside the cell. - **Proteins**: While some parts of membrane proteins are hydrophobic (interacting with the fatty tails), other regions are hydrophilic. Thus, proteins have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. - **Sugar groups**: These are hydrophilic and are typically found on the outer surface of the membrane, involved in cell-cell recognition and interaction. **Therefore, the hydrophobic component of the plasma membrane is the phospholipid "tails".** **Answer:** Phospholipid “tails”