What are the components of a cell membrane?

Please take note that my explanation might only cover the material I need to learn for this course.

The phospholipid bilayer is composed of phospholipids, which are molecules with a phosphate group and two fatty acid tails. Because of the phospholipid's amphipathic characteristics—the phosphate end is hydrophilic (attracted to water), while the fatty acid end is hydrophobic (repels water)—the bilayer forms in aqueous environments.

These are a type of lipid called steroids that appear periodically throughout the membrane and promote stability. They keep the fluidity of the membrane but also keep it rigid enough that it does not break apart. Only found in animal cells, cholesterol molecules are embedded between phospholipids on each side of the bilayer. They are mostly hydrophobic and therefore attracted to the middle on the bilayer, but the hydroxyl end is hydrophilic and therefore attracted to the periphery of the membrane.

Peripheral proteins are those that are found in cellular membranes; integral proteins are those that have at least some hydrophobicity, which allows them to be fully, partially, or entirely embedded in the membrane; peripheral proteins, on the other hand, have a hydrophilic surface and are not embedded inside the membrane; they typically cling to the surface of the integral proteins that protrude through the membrane.

Glycolipids, which are affixed to the membrane's surface, aid in cellular or molecular adhesion.

Oxford: Oxford UP, 2014; Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff, Biology: Oxford IB Diploma Programme. Print.

The cell membrane, also referred to as the plasma membrane, is made up of several essential elements: 1. Phospholipids: These molecules form a bilayer, with hydrophilic (water-attracting) heads facing outward and hydrophobic (water-repelling) tails facing inward. This structure creates a semi-permeable barrier between the cell and its environment. 2. Proteins: Membrane proteins are embedded within the phospholipid bilayer and can be divided into two main categories: - Integral proteins (also known as intrinsic proteins) span the membrane and can provide pathways (channels and carriers) for molecules to enter or exit the cell. - Peripheral proteins (also known as extrinsic proteins) are attached to the outer or inner surface of the membrane and function in signaling, cell recognition, and maintenance.