Lipids Flashcards
What are the 3 types of lipids?
Triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols
Whats the equation to form triglycerides?
3 fatty acids + glycerol -> Triglyceride fat + water
What are the uses of triglycerides in the body?
Insulation, long-term store of energy, protection
What does saturated mean?
No C=C double bond, cant accept anymore hydrogen atoms
What does unsaturated mean?
Contains only 1 C=C double bond, causes a kink
What does polyunsaturated mean?
More than 1 C=C double bond, causes several kinks
Why are fatty acids an effective store of energy?
Contain large numbers of C-C and C-H bonds
How are phospholipids different to triglycerides?
- Only have 2 ester bonds, whereas triglycerides have 3
- Only has 2 fatty acids
- Has a phosphate attached
- Has a hydrophillic head and hydrophobic bottom
What does hydrophillic and hydrophobic mean?
Hydrophillic = loves water
Hydrophobic = hates water
Why do phospholipids form different arrangements when in water?
Due to hydrophillic heads + hydrophobic bottoms
What are the types of phospholipid arrangements?
Single layers = E.g. lipid monolayer (surfactants), micelles
2 layers = Seen in bilayers + vesicles
What are sterols?
Complex alcohol molecules with 4 carbon ring structure, and a hydroxyl group at one end
What is hydrophillic + hydrophobic in sterols?
Hydroxyl end is hydrophillic, rest of molecule is hydrophobic
What do sterols contain and what does it do?
Contains cholesterol, which increases rigidity + decreases fluidity
ALL LIPIDS ARE INSOLUBLE IN WATER
