Hydrophilic Heads in AP Biology

Definition

Hydrophilic heads are part of phospholipid molecules in cellular membranes. They are 'water-loving' and tend to interact with water.

Related terms

Polar Molecules: These are molecules that have charged ends due to uneven distribution of electrons. Water is an example of a polar molecule which interacts well with hydrophilic heads.

Proteins:

Many proteins embedded in the cell membrane interact with the hydrophilic heads because they too often have polar (and thus water-attracting) properties.

Phospholipid Bilayer:

As mentioned earlier, it's made up of phospholipids each having a hydrophilic head facing towards watery environments on either side of the membrane.