Amphipathic vs Amphiphilic - What's the difference?
amphipathic | amphiphilic |
(chemistry) describing a molecule, such as a detergent, which has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups.
(biochemistry) often refers to the surface(s) on a protein, particularly an alpha helix, where one surface of the alpha helix has hydrophilic amino acids and the opposite face has hydrophobic (or lipophilic) amino acids.
(chemistry, of a molecule) Being a detergent: having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic (or lipophilic) groups.
(biochemistry, of a protein, especially an alpha helix) Having one surface consisting of hydrophilic amino acids and the opposite surface consisting of hydrophobic (or lipophilic) ones.