Fluid mosaic model

[shininay]

Could anybody please explain this to me? 

[academicbulimia]

Well basically it describes the structure of the animal cell's membrane.  It has two layers (a bilayer) of phospholipids (fats with phosphorous attached) as you probably would've read in your textbook. Proteins and substances such as cholesterol become embedded in the bilayer, giving the membrane the look of a mosaic (as it is made up of many small components). Thus the name fluid-mosaic comes into play this way. The fluid part refers to way in which the  is described to be fluid because of how the components such as lipids and membrane proteins can freely move laterally or sideways throughout the membrane. Making it not solid and rigid, but more of a "fluid".