Question

how does cholesterol aid the phospholipid bilayer? helps the membrane dissolve in water breaks down fats in the membrane maintains membrane fluidity helps dna pass through the membrane

Explanation:

Cholesterol is a lipid molecule that is present in the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes. At high temperatures, cholesterol reduces membrane fluidity by restraining the movement of phospholipids. At low temperatures, it prevents the membrane from becoming too rigid by disrupting the regular packing of phospholipids. This dual - action helps in maintaining the optimal fluidity of the membrane.

• The membrane is already a phospholipid bilayer (amphipathic) and does not need cholesterol to dissolve in water.
• Cholesterol is not an enzyme to break down fats in the membrane.
• DNA does not pass through the cell membrane in the form of free DNA (except in some special cases like transformation in bacteria, but cholesterol is not involved in this general process).

Answer:

maintains membrane fluidity