Fats and lipids, Biology

Assignment Help:

 

  • Composed of C, H and O (fewer polar OH bonds than carbohydrates)
  • Can be used at energy storage, components of cell membranes, chemical signals & thermal insulation
    • Are a more efficient energy source then carbohydrates
  • 4 families à fats (triglycerides), phospholipids, steroids & waxes

Triglycerides

                                                                                                        2331_fats and lipids.png

Triglycerides - An ester of 3 fatty acids + a glycerol molecule
Glycerol - a 3 carbon alcohol with 3 hydroxyl groups
Fatty Acid - a long-chain carboxylic acid

  • Fatty acids can be saturated of unsaturated and usually even numbered (16 or 18)
    • Saturated -> In animals                                                                                                                                                 Long straight chains and can rotate freely on the glycerol backbone

                      Can be packed tightly together à solids

               o  Unsaturated ->in plants

                        Cannot rotate freely and have kinks in their chain (due to 'cis' & 'trans' shapes from the double bond)

                        Cannot be packed closer together à liquids

Phospholipids

  • Glycerol + 2 fatty acids
  • Has hydrophobic tails and a hydrophilic head

Steroids

  • Hydrophobic molecules with 4 fused hydrocarbon rings (e.g. cholesterol, vitamin D, bile salts)

Waxes

  • Lipids containing long chain fatty acids linked to alcohols or carbon rings
  • Hydrophobic

 


Related Discussions:- Fats and lipids

What is self-jamming, What is Self-jamming Unless all of the mobile cli...

What is Self-jamming Unless all of the mobile client are perfectly synchronized, the arriving transmissions from multiple clients will not be perfectly aligned on chip boundari

Disorders of male reproductive system, DISORDER S OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYS...

DISORDER S OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM (i) Prostatomegaly - Enlargment of prostate gland. It causes difficult & painful micturition. (ii) Impotence - Inability of male

Neural circuits, Neural Circuits The simple all are none activities of...

Neural Circuits The simple all are none activities of a single neuron can hardly provide the adaptability needed for the constant changes faced by the organism in its internal

Determine the synaptic process, Since neurotransmitters are not consumed in...

Since neurotransmitters are not consumed in the synaptic process, what are the mechanisms to decrease their concentrations in the synaptic cleft after they have been used? As t

Chromosomes, how many arrs are present in mataphasic telocentric chromosome...

how many arrs are present in mataphasic telocentric chromosomes

the standard error to be different, Out of 67,410 randomly selected surger...

Out of 67,410 randomly selected surgeries tracked in a study in the UK, 2832 were followed by surgical site infections. a.    What is the best estimate of the probability of an

Fundamental aspects of protein structure, Can someone describe the fundamen...

Can someone describe the fundamental aspects of protein structure? I'm already familiar with the amino acid structure, I just don't have a clear conceptual understanding of protein

Homeostasis, why should shivering contribute to heat gain in the body?

why should shivering contribute to heat gain in the body?

Colonial , 1. The level of organization intermediate between unicellular an...

1. The level of organization intermediate between unicellular and the multicellular - organisms are composed of multiple cells but these fail to exhibit specialization of those cel

Explain the methods of entrainment to food and survival, Methods of entrain...

Methods of entrainment to food and survival advantages Because of weak zeitgeber of light (during winter and summer months where there is very little change in photoperio

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd