Lipid Metabolism

Question 1

What are four points of the structural integrity of lipids

Answer 1

Long chain fatty acids

Membranes of mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membranes

Phospholipid bilayers

Found in plant leaves

Question 2

What are four storage points regarding lipids

Answer 2

Triglycerides

Fruits and seeds in plants

Fat in adipose tissue in animals

High in energy

Question 3

Why are fatty acids stored as triglycerides vital?

Answer 3

Because they are a vital form of stored energy for animals during periods of energy deficit when times of high production for example lactation

Question 4

How are fatty acids described?

Answer 4

By their structure meaning chain length and number of double bonds and the position of the first double bond

Question 5

When a multiple double bond has more kinks meaning any more than one double bond what is it called?

Answer 5

A poly unsaturated fatty acid

Question 6

Plants have polyunsaturated fats. They are kinked and won’t stack neatly. Therefore there are gaps which have air and water. What is one product that contains polyunsaturated fats?

Answer 6

Margarine

Question 7

What fats are animal fats such as lamb chop or butter fat?

Answer 7

Saturated fats

Question 8

What are the two key factors which are able to do digestion?

Answer 8

The bile and lipase, these factors start to digest the fatty acid

Question 9

Briefly describe fatty acid digestion (lipolysis)

Answer 9

One long chain fatty acids can’t be absorbed across the room and wall or stomach – need digestion first

Fats leave stomach as large globules

Bile (salts of bile acids) secreted by liver, stored in gallbladder, secreted into the duodenum

Lipase - secreted by pancreas

Bile salts emulsify Lipids leaving the stomach

Lipase separate lipids from glycerol Esters to free fatty acids

Bile salts, aggregate digested fatty acids for absorption across the intestinal wall

Question 10

Describe what biohydronation is

Answer 10

A pathway of gradual movement and removal of double bonds until a completely saturated endpoint. Each step is mediated by a different bacterial species.

Question 11

Microbes have their own longchain fatty acid requirements. Where are they sourced from?

Answer 11

Dietary Long chain fatty acid
Long chain fatty acid synthesised in the rumen
Volatile fatty acids