Lipids

By Meg O’Mahony

Fats
• Important secondary source of energy in the body
• As a storage form of potential energy, fats hold twice
that of complex carbohydrates

• Insulation
• Subcutaneous layer of fat insulate the body from
extremes of temperature

• Protection
• Internal organs
• Joints (Fat pads in the knee, elbow, etc. to allow for
smooth movement and cushioning)

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Fats
Exist in several common forms:
WAXES
• Non-polar esters of long hydrocarbon chains (fatty
acids) and long-chain alcohols
• Solid at room temperature, water-insoluble
Beeswax • widely distributed in nature as protective waterproof
coatings on leaves, fruits, animal skin, fur, feathers and
exoskeletons – generally secreted from cells

STEROIDS
• Contain 4 fused planar rings
• Cholesterol is
• a steroid that is an important precursor of sex
hormones and bile salts
• less flexible than other lipids
• Important constituent of mammalian membranes
to modulate flexibility.

Triglycerides
• Consist of the monomers glycerol and fatty acids.

Fatty Acids
• Long hydrocarbon (HC) chains with carboxyl group at 1 end
• Most have an even number of carbons with a total of 12 to 20 carbons
• Amphipathic – have both polar and apolar areas
• Can be Saturated or Unsaturated
all single bonds at least 1 double bond

animal sources plant sources

double bonds produce “kink”in tail

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 Triglycerides
• Common fatty acids in the cell membrane

Stearate Oleate Linoleate

Saturated Unsaturated Polyunsaturated
Fatty acid Fatty acid Fatty acid

Triglycerides
Glycerol
• A 3 carbon alcohol

Triglyceride Synthesis
• Esterification reaction between –OH group of glycerol and –COOH group of fatty acid

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Phospholipids
A category of Triglycerides; major constituent of membranes
• One of the fatty acids is replaced by a phosphate group
• These are amphipathic with the polar head and apolar tail

► the “head” is polar as a result of phosphate and

an additional group – usually choline

► the apolar HC tails are apolar because of the HC

bonds present