Lipids Flashcards
Why are lipids important?
- Cell membrane constituents
- Absorption of fat-soluble vitamins
- Maintain membrane fluidity
- Thermal insulator and cellular metabolic regulator
- Hormone synthesis
- Organ padding
- Transporters
Lipids are mostly made from which source? Exceptions?
- Mostly made from carb sources
- Except essential FAs must be eaten (found in plants)
How many esterified FAs does a triglyceride have?
3
Saturated fats
- NO bends in structure, pack tightly
- Solid at RT
- Animal sources
- Neutral charge
Unsaturated fats
- Bends in structure, don’t pack tightly
- Oil at RT
- Plant sources
- Neutral charge
Phospholipids
- Hydrophilic head group and hydrophobic tails
- Amphipathic (hydrophilic/hydrophobic)
- Synthesized in all organs, esp liver
Cholesterol
- Unsaturated steroid alcohol
- Amphipathic
- Animal sources
- Plants - phytosterols
- Synthesized in most tissues
- Not readily catabolized
- Small amt used for Vit D
Use of bile acid (cholic acid)?
Detergent to allow fat to be taken up and used
General lipoprotein structure + function
- Spherical
- Size: 10 nm to more than 1 micron
- Protein + lipids present
- Function: Deliver fuel
Lipoproteins Apo A1 and Apo A2 are exclusively found where?
HDL
Lipoprotein Apo B 100 is exclusively found where?
LDL
Lipoprotein Apo B48 is exclusively found where?
Chylomicrons
Lipoprotein Apo(a) is exclusively found where?
Lipoprotein A
Function of apolipoproteins
Structural integrity and ligands
Chylomicrons
Made when?
Produced by?
Function?
How size affects plasma?
Hydrophobic core composition?
- Made when we eat triglycerides
- Produced by intestine
- Functions to transport exogenous triglycerides (ones we eat) to the liver
- Big so cause turbid/milky appearance of plasma, reflect lots of light
- Hydrophobic core composition: 84% triglyceride + 7% cholesteryl esters
VLDL
Produced by?
Function?
How size affects plasma?
Hydrophobic core composition?
- Produced by liver
- Functions to transport endogenous (hepatic-derived) triglycerides, mostly during fasting
- Smaller than chylos, can cause some turbidity but not as buoyant so won’t float on top. Account for most turbidity during fasting hyperlipidemic plasma samples
- Core comp: 65% triglycerides, 8% cholesteryl esters