Canlas Jairo D.

BSMD 2-Y1-2
Biochemistry for Medical Laboratory Science

Answer the following (5 pts each):

1. What is the biochemical function of each of the following types of lipids?
a. Triacylglycerols
Triacylglycerols are stored as fat droplets in large amounts in vertebrate fat cells, and in
plants as oils in the seeds. Triacylglycerol is a better stored energy source than polysaccharides
because oxidation of triacylglycerols produces more than twice as much energy than the
oxidation of carbohydrates.

b. Bile acids
Bile acids facilitate digestion of dietary fats and oils. They serve as micelle-forming
surfactants, which encapsulate nutrients, facilitating their absorption. These micelles are
suspended in the chyme before further processing.

c. Sphingoglycolipids
Sphingoglycolipids are known to play a role in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and
recognition, according to an increasing body of research. They've also been found to be receptors
for a variety of viruses and bacteria, as well as antigen epitopes in auto-immune illnesses.

d. Eicosanoids
Inflammation, reproduction, stomach secretion, and blood pressure regulation are only a
few of the key activities. Regulation of vascular leakage, protection of stomach mucosal
integrity, and regulation of platelet aggregation are some of the other homeostatic roles of
eicosanoids.
2. What is the relationship between carbon chain length and melting point for fatty acids?
The melting point of a fatty acid is determined by the length of its chain. The shorter the
chain, the lower the melting point and the more fluid the fatty acid. In contrast, as the number of
carbon atoms in a molecule grows, so does the melting point, and the fatty acid becomes less
fluid.

3. Why does increasing carbon chain length decrease water solubility for fatty acids?
Carbon chain length increases when water solubility decreases because the water
solubility decreases exponentially with the addition of each carbon atom to the hydrocarbon
chain.

4. Draw the general block diagram for a triacylglycerol.

 
5. Why do animal fats and vegetable oils become rancid when exposed to moist, warm air?
 When fats and oils come into contact with wet air at room temperature, oxidation and
hydrolysis reactions occur, causing them to turn rancid and emit a distinctive odor. The release
of volatile fatty acids caused by the hydrolysis of ester bonds is one cause of the odor.