ANGELES CITY NATIONAL TRADE SCHOOL

ANGELES CITY

Group 2 LIPIDS

A.) Definition
B.) Types
C.) Sources
D.) Composition and Structures
E.) Function

DEFINITION OF LIPIDS
In biology, lipids comprise a group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats,
waxes,sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides,
diglycerides,triglycerides, phospholipids, and others. The main biological functions of lipids
include storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural components of cell membranes.[3]
[4] Lipids have applications in the cosmetic and food industriesas well as in nanotechnology.
[5] Scientists may broadly define lipids ashydrophobic or amphiphilic small molecules; the
amphiphilic nature of some lipids allows them to form structures such as vesicles,
multilamellar/unilamellar liposomes, or membranes in an aqueous environment. Biological
lipids originate entirely or in part from two distinct types of biochemical subunits or
"building-blocks": ketoacyl and isoprenegroups.[3] Using this approach, lipids may be
divided into eight categories: fatty acids,glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids,sphingolipids,
saccharolipids, and polyketides(derived from condensation of ketoacyl subunits); and sterol
lipids and prenol lipids (derived from condensation of isoprene subunits).[3] Although the
term lipid is sometimes used as a synonym for fats, fats are a subgroup of lipids called
triglycerides. Lipids also encompass molecules such as fatty acids and their derivatives
(including tri-, di-, monoglycerides, and phospholipids), as well as other sterol-containing
metabolites such as cholesterol.[6] Although humans and other mammals use various
biosynthetic pathways both to break down and to synthesize lipids, some essential lipids
cannot be made this way and must be obtained from the diet.

TYPES OF LIPIDS
Triglycerides

Triglycerides are lipids you obtain from food sources of fat, such as cooking oils, butter
and animal fat. Triglycerides provide insulation that keeps you warm while protecting
 your internal organs with a layer of padding. They also play a role how your body uses
vitamins. When you don't burn all the calories you consume.

Steroids

Steroids are a type of lipid that includes hormones and cholesterol. Cholesterol is
produced by the body and consumed through food, and it plays a role in the production of
hormones. Hormones include the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone, as well as your
other hormones like adrenaline, cortisol and progesterone. Cholesterol, the most abundant
steroid lipid in the body, is required in every cell in the body. It plays a role in cell repair
and the formation of new cells.

Phospholipids

Phospholipids are derivatives of triglycerides. They're very similar to them but slightly
different on a molecular level. Half of each molecule is water-soluble and the other is not,
which causes them to react differently than triglycerides. Located on cell membranes,
they form double-layered membranes with the water-soluble molecules on the outside of
the cell membrane.

SOURCES OF LIPIDS
Lipids are organic compounds (chemicals built of the element carbon). In addition to carbon
atoms, they consist mostly hydrogen, with a relatively low content of oxygen, nitrogen and other
elements, as compared to other compounds found in biology. They are hydrophobic, meaning
insoluble in water. In some cases, however, they can include hydrophillic--"water-loving"
entities--such as phosphate groups, in which case they can dissolve both in oil and water Types
of lipids include oils and fats, waxes, steroids, phospholipids and similar compounds.

COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURES

Composition
- Lipids are organic compounds which are made of carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen. Besides these essential components, certain other elements like phosphorus and nitrogen
may be present.To understand the classification of lipids, we must first learn some chemical
terms.A fatty acid is an organic acid containing one replaceable hydrogen and having general
formula R-COOH where R represents hydrogen or a group of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Some
of the common fatty acid is stearic, palmitic and oleic acids.Glycerin or glycerol is a thick syrupy
sweetish liquid, soluble in water which can react with a fatty acid. In such a reaction, one
molecule of glycerol combines with three molecule is fatty acids. The hydrogen atoms of the
acid are replaced and the new substance is called an ester. As three fatty acid molecules take part
in the reaction, such as ester is also known as triglyceride.All fats and oil are glycerides of fatty
acids. They are natural organic compounds which occur in plant and animals and serve as storage
material. The term oil is usually applied to those which remain liquid at about 200C, the other
being called fats.

Structures
- Lipids has no single common structure. The most commonly occurring
lipids are triglycerides and phospholipids. Triglycerides are fats and oils. Triglycerides have a
glycerol backbone bonded to three fatty acids. If the three fatty are similar then the triglyceride is
known as simple triglyceride. If the fatty acids are not similar then the fatty acids are known as
mixed triglyceride. The second most common class of lipids are phospholipids. They are found
in membranes of animal and plants. Phospholipids contains glycerol and fatty acids, they also
contain phosphoric acids and a low-molecular weight alcohol. Common phospholipids are
lecithins and cephalins.

FUNCTION OF LIPIDS
Lipids perform several biological functions:

Lipids are storage compounds, triglycerides serve as reserve energy of the body.
Lipids are important component of cell membranes structure in eukaryotic cells.
Lipids regulate membrane permeability.
They serve as source for fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, K.
They act electrical insulators to the nerve fibres, where the myelin sheath
contains lipids. Lipids are components of some enzyme systems.
Some lipids like prostaglandins and steroid hormones act as cellular metabolic regulators.
Cholesterol is found in cell membranes, blood, and bile of many organisms.
As lipids are small molecules and are insoluble in water, they act as signalling molecules.
Layers of fat in the subcutaneous layer, provides insulation and protection from cold.
Body temperature maintenance is done by brown fat.
 Polyunsaturated phospholipids are important constituents of phospholipids, they provide
fluidity and flexibility to the cell membranes.
Lipoproteins that are complexes of lipids and proteins, occur in blood as plasma
lipoprotein, they enable transport of lipids in aqueous environment, and their transport
throughout the body.
Cholesterol maintains fluidity of membranes by interacting with lipid complexes.
Cholesterol is the precursor of bile acids, Vitamin D and steroids.
Essential fatty acids like linoleic and linolenic acids are precursors of many different
types of ecosanoids including prostaglandins, thromboxanes. These play a important role in pain,
fever, inflammation and blood clotting.