What type of fats are known for containing phosphorous and forming cell membranes?

Phospholipids are indeed the type of fats that contain phosphorus and play a crucial role in forming cell membranes. They are composed of two fatty acid tails and a phosphate group attached to a glycerol backbone. The presence of the phosphate group gives phospholipids their unique amphipathic nature, meaning they have both hydrophobic (water-repelling) and hydrophilic (water-attracting) properties. This characteristic facilitates the formation of lipid bilayers, which are essential for the structure of cell membranes. In a bilayer, the hydrophobic tails face inward, shielding themselves from water, while the hydrophilic heads face outward towards the water, establishing a barrier that regulates the passage of substances in and out of the cell.

Glycolipids, while also involved in cell membrane structure, primarily contain carbohydrate components rather than phosphorus. Lipoproteins are complexes of lipids and proteins and function mainly in the transport and metabolism of lipids but do not directly form the membrane structure. Fatty acids are the building blocks of many lipids but do not contain phosphorus and do not play a direct role in membrane formation. Thus, phospholipids are the key molecules responsible for the structural integrity of cell membranes due to