Biochemistry 12 GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Prepared and presented by Marc Imhotep Cray, M.D.

Basic Medical Sciences & CK Teacher

Lipids

Reference resource: Lipid Wikipedia Lipid metabolism - Wikipedia

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Classification of Lipids Lipids are a family of naturally occurring compounds grouped together on the basis of their relative insolubility in water and solubility in nonpolar solvents

Lipids are classified as saponifiable (ester-containing) or nonsaponifiable

Saponifiable lipids are further classified as simple or complex, depending on the number of structural components

Fatty Acids A fatty acid consists of a long nonpolar chain of carbon atoms, with a polar carboxylic acid group at one end

Most natural fatty acids contain an even number of carbon atoms

They may be saturated, unsaturated, or polyunsaturated (containing two or more double bonds) Fats and oils are simple lipids that are esters of glycerol and fatty acids

The difference between fats and oils is the melting point, which is essentially a function of the fatty acids in the compound

Chemical Properties of Fats and Oils Fats and oils can be hydrolyzed in the presence of acid to produce glycerol and fatty acids. When the hydrolysis reaction is carried out in the presence of a strong base, salts of the fatty acids (soaps) are produced

During hydrogenation, some multiple bonds of unsaturated fatty acids contained in fats or oils are reacted with hydrogen and converted to single bonds

Waxes Waxes are simple lipids composed of a fatty acid esterified with a long-chain alcohol. Waxes are insoluble in water and serve as protective coatings in nature Phosphoglycerides. Phosphoglycerides consist of glycerol esterified to two fatty acids and phosphoric acid

The phosphoric acid is further esterified to choline (in the lecithins) and to ethanolamine or serine (in the cephalins) The phosphoglycerides are particularly important in membrane formation

Sphingolipids These complex lipids contain a backbone of sphingosine rather than glycerol and only one fatty acid component

They are abundant in brain and nerve tissue.

Biological Membranes Membranes surround tissue cells as a selective barrier, and they encase the organelles found in eucaryotic cells

Membranes contain both proteins and lipids According to the fluid mosaic model, the lipids are arranged in a bilayer fashion with the hydrophobic portions on the insider of the bilayer

Proteins float in the bilayer

Steroids Steroids are compounds that have four rings fused together in a specific way

The most abundant steroid in humans is cholesterol, which serves as a starting material for other important steroids such as the bile salts, adrenocorticoid hormones, and the sex hormones

Steroid Hormones Hormones are chemical messengers, synthesized by specific glands, that affect various target tissues in the body

The adrenal cortex produces a number of steroid hormones that regulate carbohydrate utilization (the glucocorticoids) and electrolyte balance (the mineralocorticoids)

The testes and ovaries produce steroid hormones that determine secondary sexual characteristics and regulate the menstrual cycle in females

Prostaglandins These compounds are synthesized from the 20carbon fatty acid ai:achidonic acid

They exert many hormone-like effects on the body and are used therapeutically to induce. labor, treat asthma, and control gastric secretions

Formative Assessment

Biologically significant fatty acids typically have an ____ number of carbons. even odd either

even

Which of the following was first isolated from seminal fluid? micelles steroids prostaglandins terpenes

prostaglandins

Fatty acids are bound to glycerol by forming a(n): ether aldehyde ester glycoside sp hybrid

ester

What material is used to help disperse fats in the digestive system. prostoglandins steroids terpenes bile oxytocin

bile

Which of the following contains a choline component? prostaglandins inositols glycolipids cephalins lechthins

lechthins

Cholesterol is classified as a: terpene steroid hormone glycolipid

steroid

Thank you for your attention

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Further Study: Biochemistry and Cell Biology College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University - Biochemistry Online Indiana University - Medical Biochemistry Page MIT - Biology Hypertextbook NLM - Biochemistry NLM - Molecular Cell Biology University of Utah - NetBiochem

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