DEFINITION
AND
CLASSIFICATION OF
LIPIDS
CONTENT
DEFINITION
FUNCTIONS
CLASSIFICATION
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
DEFINITION
Heterogeneous group of compounds
Insoluble in water
Soluble in organic solvents
FUNCTIONS
1. Storage form of Energy
2. Structural components of bio-membranes
3. Metabolic regulators
4. Act as surfactants, detergents, emulsifying agents.
5. Electric Insulators
6. Shape and contour to the body
7. Protect internal organs
8. Helps in absorption of fat soluble vitamins
9. Improve taste and palatability of food
CLASSIFICATION OF LIPIDS
Simple
Compound
Derived
Lipids complex to other compounds
1. Simple lipids
Esters of Fatty acids with various glycerol and other higher
alcohols
Neutral fats
Fats / Oils – FA + Glycerol
Simple and mixed triglycerides
Waxes
Esters of higher fatty acids with higher monohydroxy aliphatic
alcohols.
Water repellent properties and their firm consistency.
Waxes serve as energy-storage substances in aquatic animals.
Waxes
Certain skin glands of vertebrates secrete waxes.
Birds and plant leaves also secrete wax.
Used as the base for the preparation of cosmetics, ointments,
polishes, lubricants and candles.
2. Compound Lipids
1. Phospholipids-
FA + Glycerol + N base + Phosphoric acid
2. Non- phosphorylated lipids
FA+ Alcohol + carbohydrates/ ceramide / sulphate group
Nitrogen containing glycerophosphatides
i. Lecithin (phosphatidyl choline)
ii. Cephalin (phosphatidyl ethanolamine)
iii. Phosphatidyl serine
Lecithin
Choline
Most abundant phospholipids of the cell membrane
Dipalmitoyl lecithin acts as surfactant.
Its absence causes respiratory distress syndrome.
Lecithin/Sphingomyelin ratio of amniotic fliud > 2 indicates full
lung maturity.
Structure of Lecithin
Fatty
acid
Glycerol Fatty
acid
Choline
Phosphat
e
Cephalin
Cephalin is found in biomembranes.
Ethanolamine
Phosphatidyl serine
Component of the cell membrane.
It plays a key role in cell cycle signaling, specifically in
relation to apoptosis.
Non-nitrogen glycerophosphatides
i. Phosphatidyl inositol
ii. Phosphatidyl glycerol
iii. Diphosphatidyl glycerol (cardiolipin)
Phosphatidyl inositol
It is present in biomembranes.
This compound plays a vital role in the mediation of hormone
action on biomembranes and acts as a second messenger.
Diphosphatidyl glycerol
It was first isolated from heart muscle.
Component of inner mitochondrial membrane.
Decreased cardiolipin level leads to mitochondrial dysfunction,
and is accounted for heart failure, hypothyroidism and some
types of myopathies.
Diphosphatidyl glycerol
Plasmalogens
Phospholipids having long chain alcohol
Constitute as much as 10 to 30% of the phospholipids of brain and
heart.
It resemble phosphatidylethanolamine.
Possess an ether link on the C-1 carbon.
They may have a protective effect against reactive oxygen species.
Ex. i. Choline plasmalogen
ii. Ethanolamine plasmalogen
Sphingophospholipids
FA + Sphingosine + N base + Phosphoric acid
Ex. Sphingomyelin
Prominent in myelin, a membranous sheath that surrounds and
insulates the axons of some neurons.
2. Non-phosphorylated Lipids
1. Glycolipids -
FA + Alcohol + Carbohydrates and ceramide
They are seen widely in nervous tissues.
They contribute to cell surface carbohydrates which form the
glycocalyx.
1. Cerebrosides-
- Galactocerebroside – found in neural tissue
- Glucocerebroside – found in non neural tissue.
2. Globosides
Globoside
They contain two or more hexoses or hexosamines, attached to
a ceramide molecule.
Ceramide + Galactose + Glucose → Lactosyl ceramide
Lactosyl ceramide is a component of erythrocyte membrane.
Ganglioside
Ceramide oligo-saccharides have at least one
molecule of NANA (N-acetyl neuraminic
acid) (sialic acid) attached to them.
Found in ganglions.
Gangliosides contribute to stability of paranodal junctions and
ion channel clusters in myelinated nerve fibers.
They function in cell–cell recognition and communication and as
receptors for hormones and bacterial toxins such as cholera toxin.
Guillain-Barré syndrome is a serious autoimmune disorder in
which the body makes antibodies against its own gangliosides.
Sulfolipids or Sulfatides
Sulfate groups are attached to Ceramide oligosaccharides.
They are important components of membranes of nervous
tissue.
Ex.
1. Sulfated cerebrosides
2. Sulfated globosides
3. Sulfated gangliosides
[Link]
Since lipids are insoluble in water they need the help of carriers
in plasma.
Therefore they are complexed with proteins to form lipoproteins.
1. Chylomicron
2. LDL
3. VLDL
4. HDL
4. Derived lipids
Obtained from Simple and Complex lipids
Ex. Fatty acid
Glycerol
Monoacylglycerol
Diaminoglycerol
Steroids
Cholesterol
Ketone bodies
Fatty acids
Fatty acids are aliphatic carboxylic acids and have the
general formula, R—CO—OH, where COOH (carboxylic
group) represents the functional group.
They are generally found in ester linkage in different classes of
lipids.
Classification of fatty acids
Depending on total number of carbon atoms
a. Even chain
They have carbon atoms 2,4,6 and similar series.
Most of the naturally occurring lipids contain even
chain fatty acids.
Ex . Acetic acid , butyric acid , palmitic acid etc
b. Odd chain
They have carbon atoms 3, 5, 7, etc.
Odd numbered fatty acids are seen in microbial cell walls.
Ex . Propionic acid , Isovaleric acid etc.
2. Depending on length of hydrocarbon chain
a. Short chain with 2 to 6 carbon atoms
Ex. Acetic acid , butyric acid , caproic acid
b. Medium chain with 8 to 14 carbon atoms
Ex. Capric acid , lauric acid , myristic acid
c. Long chain with 16 to 22 carbon atoms.
Ex. Palmitic acid , palmitoleic acid , stearic acid , etc
d. Very long chain fatty acids (more than 24 carbon)
Ex. Cerebronic acid , nervonic acid
3. Depending on nature of hydrocarbon chain
a. Saturated fatty acids
The fatty acid chains have all single bonds
Ex.
Acetic acid CH3—COOH
Butyric acid CH3(CH2)2—COOH
Palmitic acid CH3—(CH2)14—COOH
Stearic acid CH3—(CH2)16—COOH
The C16 (palmitic acid) and C18 (stearic acid) are most
abundant in body fat.
Each animal species have characteristic pattern of fatty acid
composition. Thus human body fat contains 50% oleic acid,
25% palmitic acid 10% linoleic and 5% stearic acid.
UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS
Fatty acids containing one or more double bonds
They are sub classified into
1. Mono-unsaturated having single double bond
Ex. Palmitoleic acid , oleic acid , erucic acid
2. Polyunsaturated with 2 or more double bonds
They are essential fatty acids
Ex. Linoleic acid , Linolenic acid , Arachidonic acid
3 . Eicosanoids: These compounds, derived from eicosa (20-
carbon) polyenoic fatty acids , comprise the prostanoids,
leukotrienes (LTs), and lipoxins (LXs). Prostanoids include
prostaglandins (PGs), prostacyclins (PGIs), and thromboxanes
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is present in tissues and in plasma either as free
cholesterol or combined with a long-chain fatty acid as
cholesteryl ester, the storage form.
Functions:
Cell membrane component
Nerve conduction
Bile acids and bile salts are derived from cholesterol.
Steroid hormones are from cholesterol
Vitamin D3 is from 7-dehydro-cholesterol.
Ketone bodies
Ketogenesis occurs when there is a high rate of fatty acid
oxidation in the liver
Ketone bodies serve as a fuel for extrahepatic tissues.
Acetoacetate, acetone , β- OH butyrate.
Miscellaneous lipids
Compounds possess characteristics of lipids
Ex. 1. Carotenoid – function as antioxidants
2. Squalene- Squalene is a precursor for synthesis
of all sterols.
Clinical Applications
1. Excessive fat deposits cause obesity. Truncal obesity is a risk
factor for heart attack.
2. Abnormality in cholesterol and lipoprotein metabolism leads
to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
3. In diabetes mellitus, the metabolisms of fatty acids and
lipoproteins are deranged, leading to ketosis.
4. Deficiency of essential fatty acids leads to phrynoderma.
5. Due to deficiency of pulmonary surfactant ( dipalmitoyl
lecithin ) leads to respiratory distress syndrome.
Summary
Fats / Oils
Simple Glycerophospholipid
Wax s
Sphingophospholipi
ds
Phospholipids
Cerebroside
Glycolipids Ganglioside
Chylomicron
Lipids Complex Lipoproteins LDL
VLDL
Sulfolipids HDL
Saturated
Fatty
acids
Derived Unsaturated
Cholesterol ,Steroids ,Squalen
Miscellaneous e
References
Harper’s illustrated biochemistry
D M Vasudevan textbook of biochemistry
NEXT PG ACTIVITY ON 29/O6/2022
TOPIC – DEFINITION AND CLASSIFICATION OF
PROTEINS
PRESENTOR – [Link] SINGH
