You are attempting to re-create the mouse/human hybrid cell fusion experiment described in your screencasts. You believe you are performing the procedure the same as it was initially performed, but it takes only half the time for the fluorescent proteins to evenly distribute. Which one of the following statements most likely describes the reason for the difference in your data?
a. The labeled cells were taken out of the refrigerator and used immediately, instead of being allowed to come to room temperature.
b. Different colored fluorescent labels were used, and the difference in wavelength needed to produce the fluorescence impeded the movement of the labeled proteins.
c. More of the phospholipids in this procedure were saturated than in the original experiment.
d. The phospholipids in this procedure had a shorter average fatty acid tail length than in the original experiment.
e. None of the above statements provide a likely explanation for the difference in experimental data between your experiment and the original experiment.

The correct answer is option d. "The phospholipids in this procedure had a shorter average fatty acid tail length than in the original experiment".

Explanation:

One factor that affects the speed at which fluorescent proteins achieve an even distribution is the length of the average fatty acid tails. Cell hybrids are produced by the fusion of two cells, which means that the genomic content of each cell must surpass the cell membrane barrier. The shorter the average fatty acid tails of the phospholipids in the cell membrane are, the faster the cell fusion will occur and the faster the fluorescent proteins will achieve an even distribution.