Lipids

Lipids are composed of long hydrocarbon chains. Lipid molecules contain a large amount of energy
and act as energy storage molecules. Lipids are important constituent of of the diet because they are a
source of high energy value. Lipids are also important because of the fat-soluble vitamins, and
essential fatty acids found in the fat of the natural food. Lipids are generally esters of fatty acids and
are building blocks of biological membranes. Most of the lipids have a polar head and non-polar tail.
Fatty acids can be unsaturated and saturated fatty acids.
Lipids present in biological membranes are of three classes based on the type of hydrophilic head
present:

Glycolipids are lipids whose head contains oligosaccharides with 1-15 saccharide residues.
Phospholipids contain a positively charged head which are linked to the negatively charged
phosphate groups.
Sterols, whose head contain a steroid ring. Example steroid.

Example of lipids: oils, fats, phospholipids, glycolipids.

Structure of Lipids
Triglycerides are fats and oils. Triglycerides have a glycerol backbone bonded to three fatty acids
that bond together and form ester bond through esterification process. Fatty acids - Oleic acid,
Linoleic acid, Palmitoleic acid, Arachidonic acid.

Fats and Oils Butter and oil.

Waxes
Phospholipids
Glycolipids
Steroids
Terpenes
Carotenoids

Function of Lipid

Lipids are storage compounds; triglycerides serve as reserve energy of the body.
Lipids are important component of cell membranes structure in eukaryotic cells.
Lipids regulate membrane permeability.
They serve as source for fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, K.
They act electrical insulators to the nerve fibres, where the myelin sheath contains lipids.
Lipids are components of some enzyme systems.
Layers of fat provides insulation and protection from cold. Body temperature maintenance is
done by brown fat.
Cholesterol maintains fluidity of membranes.