Lipids (German) week 1

Question 1

What defines a fatty acid versus a lipid?

Answer 1

• Fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long hydrocarbon chain.
• Lipid is one or more fatty acids connected to a linker molecule

Question 2

Fatty Acid types and nomenclature

Answer 2

-Saturated: completely reduced (no dbl bonds)
-Unsaturated: has one dbl bond
-Polyunsaturated: has more than one dbl bond
Nonmen: # of C’s:# of dbl bonds(where dbl bonds are) then Cis with name of acid
eg: 18:1(∆9) cis-9-Octadecenoic acid

Question 3

Are double bonds in lipids Cis or Trans in humans?

Answer 3

only CIS

Question 4

Physical properties of fatty acids

Answer 4

• melting point increases with the # of Carbons in chain.

- melting point decreases with the # of dbl bonds

Question 5

4 Types of lipids

Answer 5

storage lipids ( triglycerides)
phospholipids
sphingolipids
glycolipids

Question 6

Storage lipids: Tirglyceride properties

Answer 6

• contain glycerol for linker
• saturated, unsaturated, polyunsaturated
• non-polar
• NOT in biological mems
• Energy dense
• Primary energy storage
• Primary source for many organ systems

Question 7

Transfers of free fatty acids and triglycerides

Answer 7

• chylomicron-transfers lipid to blood from GI
• Albumin transfers bloodstream free fatty acids
• Lipoproteins transfer triglycerides from adipose tissue to other cells

Question 8

Plasma membrane lipids and Fatty acids

3 major membrane lipids

Answer 8

Phospholipids
Sphingolipids
Glycolipids
also contains sterols or cholesterol but are considered fatty acids

Question 9

Phospholipid make up

Answer 9

• phosphate group
• glycerol or sphingosine linker
• Major constituent of most animal plasma membranes

Question 10

Sphingolipids make up

Answer 10

• one sphingosine, one fatty acid
• Phosphate, glucose, or polysaccharide head group components
• Membrane components, direct signaling activity
• Amine with fatty acid and head group is the general structure

Question 11

Glycolipids

Answer 11

• anchor proteins to membranes
• Involved in cellular identification
• Tied to many diseases

Question 12

Sterols aka membrane fatty acids

Answer 12

-Major membrane component
-Increases membrane rigidity
-reduces mem permeability
lipid raft constituent
Necessary for endocytosis

Question 13

Lipid signaling drives and resolve inflam.

How and what are the components?

Answer 13

Arachidonate is converted to 
1. prostoglandins
2. thromboxanes
3. leukotriene
NSAIDs block this and thus reduce inflam.