VIII.

Lipids
Function of lipids
structural: building blocks of cell membranes structural: building blocks of cell membranes information transfer: hormones energy storage: fat

Structure of lipids
Fatty acids
The simplest of lipids is an amphipatic molecule, it The simplest of lipids is an amphipatic molecule, it consists of polar head (carboxyl) and a non-polar, alkyl (CH2)n tail. HO

O polar non-polar

Fatty acids make spherical micelles in water, tails forming the inside while polar heads stick out on the surface.

Tri-acylglycerols
Condensation of fatty acids and glycerol results in tri-

Condensation of fatty acids and glycerol results in triacylglycerols.

Adipose tissue is made primarily of tri-acylglycerols (fat).

Phospholipids
A special class are phospho-ester of dia-acyl-glycerol, phospholipids.

O CH 3 CH 3 -N +-(CH O O O
2 ) 2-O-P-O

(CH 2)14 (CH 2)14

CH 3 CH 3

CH 3

O-

+
rion

zwitte

Two fatty acid chains are joined to glycerol backbone, the third hydroxyl of glycerol has phospho- derivative of sugars, amines, a variety of groups often charged constituting polar head. Heads are often zwitterions: they have both +ve and -ve charge.

Phospholipids make in water a bilayer sandwich: heads out - acyl chains in. Bilayer sandwich is a basic component of cell membranes.

Steroids
Steroids are honorary lipids, they are made of a fused Steroids are honorary lipids, they are made of a fused ring system with small acyl tail. Cholesterol

CH3

CH3

OH

most common of the steroids, part of membranes, precursor of hormones.

Testosterone
OH CH3

CH

male sex hormone

Progesterone
O CH

CH

female sex hormone