L21: Lipids Flashcards
What are the main roles of lipids?
- energy storage
- structure
- signaling, coenzymes, and pigments
fatty acids are ____?
carboxylic acids
what determines the physical properties of fatty acids?
Number of carbons and degree of saturation
what does the naming of fatty acids specify?
it specifies chain length and number of double bonds
fatty acids are mainly ____?
found in even-chain hydrocarbon chains (up to 36 C)
what FA are found in odd-chains?
ones that originate from plants and microorganisms (humans do not make these)
saturated fatty acids are ___ at RT?
solid
unsaturated fatty acids are ___ at RT?
liquid
do unsaturated or saturated FAs have lower melting points?
unsaturated fatty acids have lower melting points
the hydrophobic effect is _____ driven
entropy
why is the joining of FAs entropically favored?
because of the release of water
mixtures of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids exhibit___?
van der Waals attractions
what is TAG?
Triacylglycerol (aka triglycerides)
what makes up a TAG?
3 fatty acids
1 glycerol
3 acyls
what are the 2 structural lipids?
glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids
