EICOSANOIDS

MESSENGER LIPID
TWENTY
EICOSANOIDS
EICOSANOIDS ARE FATTY ACID DERIVATIVES THAT FUNCTION AS MESSENGER LIPIDS.

THEY ARE HORMONE-LIKE MOLECULES RATHER THAN TRUE HORMONES AND THEY ARE
DIFFICULT TO STUDY AND MONITOR WITHIN CELLS.
Metabolic precursor:
Arachidonic acid
The 20:4 fatty acid
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
THE MEDIATION OF:

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THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE

THE PRODUCTION OF PAIN AND FEVER
THE REGULATION OF BLOOD PRESSURE
THE INDUCTION OF BLOOD CLOTTING
THE CONTROL OF REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTIONS
THE REGULATION OF THE SLEEP/WAKE CYCLE
CLASSES
● PROSTAGLANDINS

● THROMBOXANES
● LEUKOTRIENES
PROSTAGLANDINS
A MESSENGER LIPID THAT IS A C20-FATTY ACID DERIVATIVE THAT CONTAINS A
CYCLOPENTANE RING AND OXYGEN-CONTAINING FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
THEY ARE NAMED AFTER THE PROSTATE GLAND.
STRUCTURE
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION
● INVOLVED IN REGULATORY FUNCTIONS
○ RAISING BODY TEMPERATURE,
○ INHIBITING THE SECRETION OF GASTRIC JUICES,
○ INCREASING THE SECRETION OF A PROTECTIVE MUCUS LAYER INTO THE
STOMACH,
○ RELAXING AND CONTRACTING SMOOTH MUSCLE,
○ DIRECTING WATER AND ELECTROLYTE BALANCE,
○ INTENSIFYING PAIN, AND
○ ENHANCING INFLAMMATION RESPONSE.
THROMBOXANES
A MESSENGER LIPID THAT IS A C20-FATTY ACID DERIVATIVE THAT CONTAINS A CYCLIC
ETHER RING AND OXYGEN-CONTAINING FUNCTIONAL GROUPS.
THEY ARE PRODUCED BY BLOOD PLATELETS AND PROMOTE PLATELET AGGREGATION.
STRUCTURE
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION
● THEY ARE PRODUCED BY BLOOD PLATELETS AND PROMOTE PLATELET
AGGREGATION.
LEUKOTRIENES
A MESSENGER LIPID THAT IS A C20-FATTY ACID DERIVATIVE THAT CONTAINS THREE
CONJUGATED DOUBLE BONDS AND HYDROXY GROUPS.
THEY ARE FOUND IN LEUKOCYTES.
SOURCE
THREE CONJUGATED DOUBLE
BONDS
STRUCTURE
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION
● ELEVATED LEVELS OF LEUKOTRIENES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS

INFLAMMATORY AND HYPERSENSITIVITY (ALLERGY) RESPONSES.

○

THEY MEDIATE INFLAMMATION, AND ALSO INDUCE ASTHMA AND OTHER

INFLAMMATORY DISORDERS, THEREBY REDUCING THE AIRFLOW TO THE
ALVEOLI.
ESTER LINKS
ESTER LINKS
IN EICOSANOIDS, THE FATTY ACIDS ARE NOT ESTERIFIED AND CARRY OUT THEIR
BIOCHEMICAL ROLES IN THE FORM OF THE FREE ACIDS.