🥑 Fun Fact: Think of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids like LEGO pieces. Saturated ones fit neatly together, making a tight wall. Unsaturated ones have bumps (kinks) that prevent them from fitting perfectly – leading to more gaps!

• Saturated Fatty Acids
  • Have straight chains.
  • Pack tightly in bilayers.
  • Result? Membrane is less fluid and less permeable.
• Unsaturated Fatty Acids
  • Have one or more kinks in their chain.
  • Pack loosely in bilayers.
  • Result? Membrane is more fluid and more permeable.

• Why it Matters: Cells need to adjust the amount of these fatty acids to make sure their membranes are just right - like Goldilocks' porridge!
• Goal: A membrane that's fluid, strong, and not too porous.
• Regulation: Cells regulate the relative amounts of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids based on what they need.