Lipid Metabolism

Instructor Muhammad Hassan

 Table of Contents

 Digestion and Absorption of Lipids

 Lipolysis

 Beta-Oxidation of Fatty Acids

 Ketogensis

 ATP Production from Fatty Acid

Oxidation

 Cholesterol Synthesis
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Digestion and Absorption of Lipids
• Dietary Lipids: 98% triacylglycerols (TAGs): Fats and oils
• Salivary enzymes (water soluble) in the mouth have no effect on lipids (TAGs) which
are water insoluble
• In Stomach: most, not all, of TAGs change physically to small globules or droplets --
called chyme which floats above other material:

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 Digestion and Absorption of Lipids
• Lipid digestion starts in the stomach:
– Gastric lipase hydrolyzes ester bonds -- 2 fatty acids and one
monoacylglycerol --About 10% of TAGS are hydrolyzed
• High fat foods stay in stomach for longer time -- high fat meal gives
you a feeling of being full for longer time

• Chyme enters into small intestine and is emulsified with bile salts
• Pancreatic lipase hydrolyzes ester bonds to form fatty acids and glycerol

• Fatty acids, monoacyglycerols and bile salts make small droplets: called micelles --
hydrophobic chain in the interior

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Digestion and Absorption of Lipids
• In the intestinal cells monoacylglycerols and free fatty acids are

• repackaged to form TAGs

These new TAGs combine with membrane lipids (phospholipids and

•
cholesterol) and lipoproteins to form chylomicrons
• Chylomicrons transport TAGs from intestinal cells to the

• bloodstream though the lymphatic system

From the lymphatics the fats flow through the thoracic duct into the
•
bloodstream and then to the liver
• In the liver some of the fats are changed to phospholipids, so the
blood leaving the liver contains both fats and phospholipids
• From the liver, some fat goes to the cells through the
bloodstream 5
Lipolysis
• In the bloodstream TAGs are completely hydrolyzed by lipase
enzymes
• Fatty acids and glycerol are absorbed by the cell and are either
broken down to the acetyl Co-A for energy or repacked to store as
lipids
• The fat in excess of what the cells need is stored in specialized cells
called adipocytes (the largest cell in the body) in the adipose tissue
– Located primarily beneath the skin especially in abdominal region and
vital organs
– Adipose tissue also serves as a protection against the heat loss and
mechanical shock
• Triacylglycerol energy reserves (fat reserves) are the human body’s
major source of stored energy:
– Energy reserves associated with protein, glycogen, and glucose are
small to very small when compared to fat reserves

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THANK YOU