Fatty Acids Eicosanoids (Module 3 Lecture 3)

Question 1

What the hell is an eicosanoid?

Answer 1

A hormone made from fatty acids.

Question 2

What are 4 important things to remember about beta oxidation of fatty acids?

Answer 2

1. It occurs in the mitochondria.
2. It is completely aerobic.
3. It produces more ATP (because it has more carbon to be oxidized) than glucose.
4. Two carbon units from oxidized fatty acids can be used to synthesize cholesterol.

Question 3

Besides glycogen, how can glucose be stored?

Answer 3

As a triacylglycerol.

Question 4

Why are fatty acids and cholesterol esters stored as lipid droplets?

Answer 4

Fatty acids are ionized at physiological pH, so storing them as triacylglycerols makes them completely non-polar and can be stored in the cytoplasm as a lipid droplet.