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Lipids notes

Lipids are essential components of cell membranes and serve as energy stores, with adipose tissue providing heat insulation and protection for organs. They consist of fatty acids and glycerol, forming triglycerides and phospholipids, which differ in structure and function, including saturation levels affecting their physical state. The formation and breakdown of lipids involve esterification and hydrolysis reactions, respectively.

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7 views4 pages

Lipids notes

Lipids are essential components of cell membranes and serve as energy stores, with adipose tissue providing heat insulation and protection for organs. They consist of fatty acids and glycerol, forming triglycerides and phospholipids, which differ in structure and function, including saturation levels affecting their physical state. The formation and breakdown of lipids involve esterification and hydrolysis reactions, respectively.

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malakfouad352004
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Lipids

Uses:
They are in integral part of all cell membranes and also used as an energy store
Lipids are stored in adipose tissue, which two important roles:-
- Heat insulation: in mammals, adipose tissue underneath the skin helps reduce heat
loss
- Protection: adipose tissue around delicate organs such as kidneys acts as a cushion
against impacts.

When they are oxidized in the respiration process, the bonds are broken down and co2 and
h2o are produced along with much ATP. They store three times or double the amount of
energy as the same mass of carbohydrates.

Fats and oils are important groups of lipids; oils are liquid, from plant sources whereas fats
are solid and r from animal sources.

Elements: oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen


They have much lower proportion of oxygen than in carbohydrates
Lipids contain two types of organic substance, fatty acids and glycerol (propane-1,2,3-triol)
These are combined using ester bonds
- Glycerol has the chemical formula C3H803
- All fatty acids have long hydrocarbon chain- a folded backbone of carbon atoms with
hydrogen atoms attached- and a carboxyl group -COOH at one end.
Fatty acids vary in two ways; by the length of the carbon chain or whether it is
saturated or unsaturated.

 Saturated fatty acids- it is a fatty acid in which each carbon atom is joined
to the one next to it in the hydrocarbon chain by a single covalent bond.

 Unsaturated fatty acid – is when carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain


have one or more double covalent bonds in them (carbon-carbon double
bonds)
 Monounsaturated fatty acid: is a fatty acid with only one double
covalent bond between carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain
 Polyunsaturated fatty acid: is one with two or more double
covalent bonds between carbon atoms in the hydrocarbon chain.
In saturated fatty acids, the number of hydrogen atoms attached to the carbon skeleton is
maximized. Saturated lipids are solid at room temperature and usually of animal origin.
They are also more likely to lead to plaque forming in arteries if added a lot in the diet.
In unsaturated lipids, the double bonds kink the carbon chain so these fats can’t pack
together as tightly, which explains why they remain liquid at room temperature.

The process of forming an ester bond is by the a condensation reaction specifically known as
esterification, and it is where a water molecule is removed and the bond is created.
Hydrolysis is the reverse reaction, and it is the reaction used to break it down.

Triglycerides
A triglyceride is made when one glycerol combines with three fatty acids. An ester bond is
formed in a condensation reaction (esterification) between the carboxyl group (-COOH) of a
fatty acid and one of the hydroxyl groups (-OH) of the glycerol, and a water molecule is
removed.
Hence when a triglyceride is formed, three condensation reactions take place, and three
ester bonds are formed, and three water molecules are removed.
Phospholipids
It has one glycerol and two fatty acids and a phosphate group.
Phospholipids are polar lipids; the fatty acid chains are neutral and insoluble in water. But
the phosphate head carries a negative charge and is soluble in water.
Two parts of the phospholipid:
- A hydrophobic, the lipid tails; the fatty acid chains
- A hydrophilic, the polar phosphate
If the molecules are tightly packed in water they form either a:-
- Monolayer, with the hydrophilic heads in the water and the hydrophobic tails in the
air

- Micelles, which are clusters, all the hydrophilic heads point outwards and all the
hydrophobic tails are hidden inside

- Bilayer, in cells when there are water-based solutions on either side of membranes
( water on each side). This is where the hydrophilic heads point into the water while
the hydrophobic tails are protected in the middle. This structure, the unit
membrane, is the basis of all membranes.

Food test
…..

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