Lipids Flashcards
Glycerophospholipids (Phosphoglycerides)
- phospholipids that contain a glycerol backbone bonded by ester linkages to 2 fatty acids and by a phosphodiester linkage to a highly polar head group.

sphingolipids
Have a sphingosine backbone instead of glycerol

ceramide
Type of sphingo lipid with a single H as its head group

Sphingomyelins
- Either have phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylethanolamine as a head group.
- Major components in the plasma membranes of oligodendrocytes and schwann cells
Glycosphingolipids
- Have heads composed of sugars bonded by glycosidic linkages
- Not phospholipids
- cerebrosides and globosides
cerebrosides
have a single sugar

Globosides
Have two sugars or more.

Gangliosides
glycolipids that have polar head groups composed of oligosaccharides with one or more Sialic acid molecules at the terminus and a negative charge

Waxes
- esters of long-chain fatty acids with long-chain alcohols

Terpenes
- Metabolic precursors to steroids andother lipid sinaling molecules, and have varied functions
- Build from Isoprene
- Mono= 2 units
Sesqui= 3 units
di= 4 units
Retinal
a visual pigment vital for sight that is derived from the diterpene vitamin A
Triterpenes
Has 6 isoprene units and can be converted to cholesterol and various steroids
Steroids
- Lipid with with 4 cycloalkane rings fused together: 3 cyclohexane and one cyclopentane

Cholesterol
Common steroid in the phospholipid bilayer. At low temperatures, it increases fluidity. At high temperatures, it decreases fluidity.
Prostaglandins
- Contain one five membered ring and act as autocrine/paracrine signaling moleules
- NSAIDs inhibit productin via cyclooxygenase
Fat-soluble vitamins
A, D, E, K
Vitamin A (carotene)
- important in vision, growth and development, and immune function
Vitamin D (cholecalciferol)
- consumed or formed in a UV light-driven reaction in the skin
- Must be converted to calcitriol in liver and kidneys to become active
- promotes bone production
Vitamin E (tocopherols or tocotrienols)
- destroys oxidative radicals
- prevents oxidative damage which is an important contributor to the development of cancer and aging
Vitamin K (phylloquinione and menaquinones)
- vital to posttranslational modification required to produce prothrombin, and important clotting factor
Triacylglycerols (triglycerides)
- Composed of 3 fatty acids bonded by ester linkages to glycerol
- Used for energy storage

Adipocytes
- Cells that store large amounts of fat
- Found primarily under the skin, around mammary glands, and in the abdominal cavity.
Saponification
ester hydrolysis using a strong base. Makes soap.

Surfactant
Lowers the surface tension at the surface of a liquid, serving as a detergent or emulsifier
