NANP Board Practice Exam 2026 - Free NANP Board Practice Questions and Study Guide

Unsaturated fatty acids support flexibility in cell membranes because they have one or more double bonds in their carbon chain, which prevents them from being packed tightly together and allows for more movement within the membrane. Saturated fatty acids, on the other hand, have no double bonds and are therefore more rigid, making them less favorable for maintaining membrane flexibility. Trans fatty acids, while technically unsaturated, have a different shape due to their trans configuration which can also contribute to rigidity in cell membranes. Monounsaturated fatty acids, while more flexible than saturated fatty acids, still have less flexibility than unsaturated fatty acids due to having only one double bond.