3. Lipids, membranes and transport Flashcards
What elements are in Lipids
C H O
What are lipids
Group of non-polar molecules
Insoluble in water
dissolve easily in organic solvents
What are the important groups of lipids
Triglycerides and phospholipids
What is a triglyceride
Made of 3 fatty acids and 1 molecule of glycerol
How is a triglyceride formed
Glycerol has 3 OH- groups.
Each bind to a fatty acid
Condensation reaction
Produce 3 molecules of H2O
Ester bonds between OH and COOH
What is a fatty acid made from
A COOH- group and a long hydrocarbon chain (Unsaturated or Saturated)
Why are triglycerides not classified as polymers
They are not made of monomers.
They are made of 2 different types of molecules
What are the biological roles of triglycerides
Storage of energy
Insulation - electrical and heat
Protection
How do the structure and properties of a triglyceride relate to its function
High ratio of energy storing C-H bonds to C atoms = good source of energy
Low mass to energy ratio = Good storage molecules as lots of energy stored in small volume
Large, non-polar, insoluble in water molecules = no osmotic effect and dont effect water potentiels
What is a phospholipid
Lipids where one fatty acid is substituted for phosphate group
- Polar/hydrophilic head (Glycerol and phosphate)
-2 Non-Polar/hydrophobic tails (Fatty acids)
What is the test for lipids
Ethanol emulsion test
- Add ethanol to the sample to be tested
- Shake thoroughly to dissolve any lipid in sample
- Then add water to sample and shake gently
-A milky white emulsion indicates the presence of lipid
What are the 3 functions of plasma membranes
- Control the transport of substances into and out of cell or organelle - Partially permeable
- Act as a receptor site - Recognise chemicals that need to enter the cell
- Separate off the cell from the environment and the different reactions - Different concs can be maintained
What molecules do plasma membranes not let through
Water-soluble
Charged
Polar
What molecules are in a membrane structure
- Phosphlipids
- Membrane proteins
-Glycoproteins - Glycolipids
-Cholesterol
What do phospholipids do in the membrane structure
Form a bilayer
Hydrophobic tails point towards eachother
Hydrophilic head point out into the water
What do membrane proteins do in the membrane structure
Float about in bilayer - fluid mosaic structure
May be in one layer (Extrinsic) or across the whole membrane (Intrinsic) .
May be fixed in one place or float about
Often have hydrophilic channels in the middle
What is the function of an Intrinsic protein
Transport - channels and carriers
What is the function of extrinsic proteins
Enzymes
Receptors
Antigens