fat metabolism Flashcards
what are fatty acids and what are the 3 types of them?
organic chains of C,H and O
number and bonding of carbon atoms:
- saturated - 0 double bonds
- monounsaturated - 1 double bond
- polyunsaturated - >1 double bond
what is the 5 stage digestion of fat?
- lipids emulsified by the bile
- lipases break down triglycerides into fatty acids and monoglycerides
- packaged into micelles that are absorbed by microvilli
- converted back into triglycerides which aggregate with cholesterol, protein and phospholipids to form chylomicrons
- move into lymph capillary which transports them to rest of body
what is the postprandial state of fat?
chylomicrons
what happens to fatty acids
postprandial = after a meal
lymphatics secrete chylomicrons into subclavian vein
dock onto lipoprotein lipase of extrahepatic tissues, which release fatty acids and glycerol
fatty acids taken up by adipose tissue for storage, into muscle to be used as fuel or stored as intramuscluar triacylglycerol for later use or taken up by liver and recycled as VLDL and sent to adipose for storage
if stored: esterified with glycerol-3-phosphate
what is an extrahepatic tissue?
non-liver tissue
what type of lipoproteins are chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL and HDL?
chylomicron - ultra low density lipoprotein
VLDL - very low density lipoprotein
LDL - low density lipoprotein
HDL - high density lipoprotein
density = ratio of protein to lipid low = lots more lipid than protein high = higher ratio of protein to lipid
what occurs in the postabsorptive state?
all fat digested and absorbed
no chylomicrons so liver produces VLDL to carry triacylglycerol (TAG)
stored in adipose tissue and hydrolysed into fatty acids and glycerol by hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) and released
fatty acids either turned back into triacylglycrol for storage (reseterification)
or bind to albumin to prevent coalescing (fatty acids binding together) and allow transport into aqueous blood
used by other tissues as energy substrate
what happes to TAG during exercise or stress?
mobilised for oxidation into fatty acids
similar to mobilisation of glycogen as occurs under similar circumstances and hormonal control
what is lipase a general term for?
any enzyme which hydrolyses TAG into fatty acids and glycerol
when is HSL activated and deactivated?
hormone sensitive lipase which stimulates lipolysis
activated: when phosphorylated by protein kinases (activated by exercise as insulin levels fall)
deactivated: in presence of phosphatase (activated by insulin in anabolic state)
describe fatty acid transport across cell membranes?
dependent upon plasma fatty acid conc as more in circulation then more fat transported into cell as moves down concentration gradient
flip-flop and carrier mediated process:
- fatty acid binding protein (FABP)
- fatty acid translocase - most important (FAT/CD36)
- fatty acid transport protein (FATP)
what happens to fatty acids once inside the cell?
become activated by acyl-CoA synthetase ezymes
to fatty-acyl-CoAs
can then be moved aorund cell
what is the postpradial state of cholesterol?
cholesterol packaged into LDL and carried to tissues
taken away by HDL and excess entered into bile
where is fat stored in the body?
lots more stored in adipose tissue (months of energy) than muscles and liver
what is lipolysis?
break down of lipids within adipose tissue to release free fatty acids to transport to other tissues for energy
what are adipose tissue cells called and what do they contain?
adipocytes
only thing within is fat (TAG)
what are the 2 uses of fatty acids inside the cell?
either stored as TAG in lipid droplets
or utilised in mitochondria for energy
lipid droplet bound to mitochondria so readily available food source