Week 7: Lipid Overview Flashcards
What are some of the characteristics of lipid?
- Heterogenous group of hydrophobic molecules
- Insoluable in aqueous solution
- Compartmentalize in membranes or stored as TAGs in adipose
- Major energy source in body
- Precursors for vitamins and signaling molecules
What proteins transport lipids in the blood?
Albumin and lipoprotein
What are the 4 main function of fatty acids?
- Fuel molecules are stroed by TAGs
- Components of phospholipids and glycolipids
- Attached to proteins to localize the proteins to membranes
- Function as hormones and intracellular messengers
What type of molecules are important building blocks of membranes?
Amphipathic
What covalently attaches proteins to the membrane?
GPI anchors
What are examples of fatty acid hormones and intracellular messengers?
- PIP2
- IP3
- DAG
- GPCR Gqa signalling
In what ways are fatty acids used as fuels?
- Long chain FA are oxidized as fuels
2. FAs are released from adipose tissue between meals, during overnight fasting, or periods of increased fuel demand
What occurs when FA is released from adipose between meals?
- Decresaed insulin level and increased glucagon levels
- Activates lipolysis
- Free FA’s are transported to the tissues
What fatty acid molecule is the majority in biological systems?
Triacylglycerols (TAGs)
What are TAGs function in the body?
- Primary storage of body fat
2. Serve as concentrated stores of metabolic energy
What components form TAGs?
- Esterification of 3 fatty acids to glycerol
- Ester groups form the polar head
- Tails are nonpolar
Why are TAGs less soluable in water than fatty acids?
Esterification of the carboxylate group
How and when are ester linkages hydrolyzed?
Lipases when fatty acids are being used by organism
What are the advantages of using fats over polysaccarides?
- Fatty acids carry more energy per carbon because they are more reduced
- Fatty acids carry less water per gram because they are nonpolar
What’s the difference between glucose/glycogen and fats in regards to energy supply?
- Glucose are for short-term energy needs and quick delivery time
- Fats are for long-term energy needs, good stroage, and slow delivery
How are TAGs stored?
- Anhydrous form
- Stored in large droplets in the cytoplasm of adipocytes (adipose tissue)
- Muscle cells also store TAGs
Why are TAGs considered energy rich?
More reduced then glycogen
Compare the amount of energy fats and glycogen provide
1 g of TAG stores 4x more energy than 1 g of glycogen
What are the methods of digesting dietary lipids?
- Digestion begins in the stomach
- Lipase in secreted from glands in the back of tongue and in stomach
- Lipase breaks down TAG molecules that contain short and medium chain (<12 Cs) fatty acids
What are the steps of TAG metabolism?
- Emulsification of TAGs by bile salts
- Hydrolysis of TAGs by intenstinal lipases to generate free fatty acids
- Resynthesis of TAG inside intestinal epithelial cells
- Packaging of TAGs into large lipoprotein particles
- Export of chylomicrons to the lymphatic system
- Entry of chlomicrons into circulatory system through the left subclavian vien
What occurs during the emulsification of TAGS?
- Bile salts are produced in the liver and stored and secreted by the gallbladder
- Lipids are emulsified by bile salts and peristalsis