LIPIDS
- are soluble in organic solvents and Biological Importance of Lipids
insoluble in water. - Fats provide major way of storing
- They are not defined by a particular chemical energy and carbon atoms in
functional group; thus, they have a the body
variety of structures and functions. - Surround and insulate vital organs.
- They contain many nonpolar C—C - Provide protection from mechanical
and C—H bonds and few polar shock
bonds resulting in their water - Prevent the excessive loss of heat
insolubility. energy
Classification of Lipids
A. Simple Lipids – they are esters of fatty
acids with various alcohols
1. Triacylglycerols
Importance of Lipids 2. Waxes
- AS A SOURCE OF ENERGY — 1 B. Compounds (complex) Lipids
GRAM OF FAT WHEN OXIDIZED 1. Phospholipids
IS 6KCAL WHILE SIMILAR 2. Glucolipids
AMOUNTS OF CARBOHYDRATE 3. Lipoproteins
CAN ONLY YIELD 4 KCAL C. Precursor and derived lipids
- ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF 1. Steroids
CELLULAR STRUCTURE 2. Vitamin D
ESPECIALLY CELL
MEMBRANES Fatty Acids
Two types of Fatty acids
1. Saturated fatty acids have no double
bonds in their hydrocarbon chains
2. Unsaturated fatty acids have one or
more double bonds in their long
hydrocarbon chains.
Three General Characteristics of Lipids
1. They are insoluble in water but
soluble in more solvents with low
polarity.
2. They are esters of fatty acids.
3. They are utilizable by living
organisms.
Waxes Lipid Membranes
- Waxes are the simplest hydrolysable
lipids,esters (RCOOR’) formed from
a fatty acid (RCOOH) and a high
molecular weight alcohol (R’OH)
- Very hydrophobic due to long non
polar carbon chains
Phospholipids
- PHOSPHOLIPIDS ARE LIPIDS
THAT CONTAIN A PHOSPHORUS
ATOM
2 TYPES OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS:
1. Phosphoacylglycerols – most
common type.
Triacylglycerols (TAG)
A. Cephalin or
- Triacylglycerols or triglycerides are
Phosphatidylethanolamine
triesters formed from glycerol and
B. Lecithin or
three molecules of fatty acids
Phosphatidylcholine
- Animal fats and vegetable oils, the
2. Sphingomyelins - second major
most abundant lipids, are composed
class of phospholipids
of TAG
- derived from sphingosine.
- Fats – have higher melting points –
- single fatty acid is bonded to the
they are solids at room temperature.
carbon backbone by an amide bond
- Fats are derived from Fatty
Acids having few double
bonds.
- Oils – have lower melting points –
they are liquids at room temperature
- Oils are derived from Fatty
Acids having a larger
number of double bonds.
Structure of Phospholipids Lipoproteins
- Contain a hydrophilic polar head and - Carrier proteins that transports
two nonpolar tails composed of C-C cholesterol from the liver where it is
and C-H bonds. synthesized, to the tissues.
- Are classified on the basis of their
density.
Types of Lipoproteins:
1. LDL
- Transports cholesterol from the liver
to the tissues
- A.K.A BAD cholesterol
- Increased levels of LDL, it deposits
cholesterol on the wall of arteries
forming plaques that may cause
Atherosclerosis.
2. HDL
- Transport cholesterol from the
tissues back to the liver.
- HDLs reduce the level of serum
cholesterol
- A.K.A GOOD cholesterol
Cholesterol
- MOST PROMINENT MEMBER –
SYNTHESIZED IN THE
LIVERAND FOUND IN ALMOST
ALL BODY TISSUES
- VITAL COMPONENT OF FOR
HEALTHY CELL MEMBRANES
- SERVES AS THE STARTING
MATERIAL FOR THE
SYNTHESIS OF ALL OTHER
STEROIDS AND VITAMIN D
