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1.2.9 Lipids & Ester Bonds

Lipids
 Lipids are macromolecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. However lipids
contain a lower proportion of oxygen than carbohydrates.
 They are non-polar and hydrophobic so insoluble in water
 Lipids have an important role in energy yield, energy storage, insulation, and hormonal
communication.

TRIGLYCERIDES
 Triglycerides are lipids that form the main component of fats and oils
 The monomers are glycerol and fatty acids

 Glycerol is an organic molecule that contains a

hydroxyl group bonded to a carbon atom

 Fatty acids contain a methyl group at one end of

a hydrocarbon chain known as the R group and
at the other is a carboxyl group

o The shorthand chemical formula for a

fatty acid is RCOOH

 Fatty acids can vary in two ways:

o Length of the hydrocarbon chain (R

group)

o The fatty acid chain (R group) may

be saturated (mainly in animal fat)
or unsaturated (mainly vegetable oils)

 Saturated fatty acids contain no carbon-carbon

double bonds

o The hydrocarbon chain is saturated

with hydrogen atoms due to the
absence of double bonds

o They form unbranched, linear chains

 Unsaturated fatty acids can be mono or poly-

unsaturated

o If H atoms are on the same side of the

double bond, they are cis-fatty acids and
are metabolised by enzymes

o If H atoms are on opposite sides of the

double bond, they are trans-fatty acids and cannot form enzyme-substrate complexes,
therefore, are not metabolised. They are linked with coronary heart disease

The Ester Bond

 Triglycerides are formed by esterification
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 An ester bond forms when a hydroxyl (-OH) group form glycerol bonds with the carboxyl (-
COOH) group of the fatty acid
o The formation of an ester bond is a condensation reaction

o For each ester bond formed a water molecule is released

o Three fatty acids join to one glycerol molecule to form a triglyceride

o Therefore for one triglyceride to form, three water molecules are released

Lipids & CVD

A risk factor is any factor that increases the chance of developing a particular condition or disease
An increase in a risk factor does not guarantee the development of disease, but increases the risk
An example of a risk factor for the incidence of CVD is increased blood cholesterol
 An increase in the presence of a risk factor would be expected to lead to
increased incidence of disease
o The incidence of disease describes the number of cases of a disease that
occur within a particular group of people within a given time

Cholesterol
 Cholesterol is a type of lipid produced in the body

 Cells require a source of cholesterol for cell membrane functioning, sex hormone structure,
and the synthesis of bile

 Cholesterol is transported around the body as lipoproteins

o Lipoproteins are molecules composed of lipid and protein

o There are two types of lipoproteins: high density lipoproteins (HDLs) and low
density lipoproteins (LDLs)

 The balance of HDLs and LDLs in the blood is thought to be an important factor in the risk
of developing heart disease