What are the primary components of the plasma membrane in cells?

The primary components of the plasma membrane are phospholipids and embedded proteins, making this the most accurate answer. The membrane consists of a phospholipid bilayer, where the hydrophilic (water-attracting) heads face outward toward the aqueous environment, while the hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails face inward, away from water. This arrangement creates a semi-permeable barrier that regulates the entry and exit of substances in and out of the cell.

Embedded within this phospholipid bilayer are various proteins that play crucial roles in the membrane's functions. These proteins can be integral, spanning the membrane and facilitating the transport of materials, or peripheral, attached to the surface and involved in signaling and structural support. Together, the phospholipids and proteins contribute to the fluid mosaic model of the membrane, which describes its dynamic and flexible nature.

While carbohydrates and lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, and cholesterol and glycoproteins do play roles in cellular structure and function, they do not represent the primary components of the plasma membrane as accurately as phospholipids and embedded proteins do. Carbohydrates are often found attached to proteins or lipids on the extracellular surface of the membrane, and cholesterol helps to stabilize