Lipids Flashcards
What are lipids?
A very broad class of molecules that are insoluble
What are the functions of lipids
Energy storage
Biomembranes
Signalling
Enzymatic co-factors
What are the two categories of lipids solubility wise
Amphipathic lipids
Hydrophobic lipids
What are the two groups lipids are derived from
Sterols
Fatty acids
Which configuration of unsaturated fatty acids are bent
Cis-unsaturated fatty acids
What are all the different ways we can classify lipids
Classification by synthetic pathway e.g. steroids and fatty acids
Classification by function e.f. Energy store, membrane, messaging
Classification by structure e.g. simple, complex, derived
Classification by composition e.f. Phospholipids, glycolipids
What are the roles of triglycerides
Energy storage
Buoyancy
Thermal insulation
What are glycerolipids made up of
Glycerol and fatty acids
What are the different types of glycerolipids
Phosphoglycerides
Galactolipids
Sphingolipids
What are Phosphoglycerides
Consist of fatty acids, glycerol, a phosphate group and a polar heading
Important in Biomembranes
A class of phospholipids
What are Galactolipids
Not phospholipids
Made up of galactose linked to glycogen via a glycosidic bond
The fatty acids are called linoleic acid
What are Sphingolipids
Can be phospholipids
Can be simple or complex
Based on sphingosphine
What are the biological functions of lipids
Hormones
Vitamins
Vitamin absorption
Insulation
Protection
What are Eicosanoids
Eicosanoids are 20 carbon long fatty acid derivatives that are able to produce a signal in a localised area
What are eiscanoids derived from
Arachidonic acid
