Similar lipids cluster in soybean cell membrane model

A cell's plasma membrane forms a protective barrier, separating its inner contents from the outside environment. There is a pressing need to better understand the complex lipid bilayer that makes up this membrane, which limits the molecules that can leave or enter the cell. Research into the plasma membrane structure and behavior can provide invaluable information about whether, and to what extent, small molecules such as sugars, hormones and drugs, can permeate.