Lipids

Lipids are naturally occurring compounds that can be

isolated from plants and animals.
Lipids
● Lipids have a very varied
structure, but have an
abundance of carbon and
hydrogen, with the addition
of some elements like
phosphorus, nitrogen, and
oxygen.
Beeswax is an example of
a natural lipid
Properties
● Lipids are known to be hydrophobic or water-insoluble.
○ They are, however, lipophilic or soluble in nonpolar
solvents like hexane.

● Lipids are more classified based on physical behavior

than chemical structure, unlike the other biomolecules
such as carbohydrates and proteins.
Classifying Lipids
Saponifiable Lipids

● Saponifiable lipids
produce fatty acid salts
or soap upon reaction
with NaOH.
The production of fatty acid salt or soap
upon the reaction between saponifiable
lipid and sodium hydroxide.
Classifying Lipids
Saponifiable Lipids

● Triacylglycerols are
triesters of glycerol with
three long-chain
carboxylic acids called
fatty acids.
Examples of fatty acids
Classifying Lipids
Saponifiable Lipids

● Phospholipids are like

triacylglycerols; however, one
fatty acid is replaced with
phosphoric acid.
Phospholipid bilayer, the primary structural
component of biological membranes
Classifying Lipids
Nonsaponifiable Lipids

● Nonsaponifiable lipids do
not produce salts when
added with NaOH solution.
○ Examples are steroids
and terpenes.
Steroid structure
Classifying Lipids
Nonsaponifiable Lipids

● Steroids is a class of lipids

containing steroid nucleus.
○ Contrary to common
knowledge, steroids can
Progesterone and hydrocortisone
be found in both animals
are both steroid hormones
and plants.
Classifying Lipids
Nonsaponifiable Lipids

● Terpenes are compounds

constructed from recurring
isoprene units.

An isoprene unit of terpenes

Other Functions of Lipids
● Some vitamins are under
the large group of lipids
○ The most notable are
vitamin A or retinol,
vitamin D, vitamin E, and
Vitamin K.
Vitamins are lipid-soluble
compounds
Other Functions of Lipids

● Some lipids are essential to oxidation-reduction reactions as

notable electron carriers. Examples include the ubiquinone
in animal electron transport chain and plastoquinone in the
photosynthetic machinery.

● Pheromones are chemical signals that are given off by an

organism that can trigger a variety of reactions in other
organisms. An example is muscalure in flies.
 Lipids are more classified based on physical behavior
1 than chemical structure, unlike the other
biomolecules.

Lipids can be classified into saponifiable and non-

2 saponifiable lipids and have a large variety of
functions based on their structure and classifications.

Lipids are naturally occurring compounds that can be

3 isolated from plants and animals.
Identify the terms being described by the statements below.
1. This refers to the process of which involves the hydrolysis of
esters by NaOH.
2. These lipids produce fatty acid salts or soap upon reaction with
NaOH.
3. These are triesters of glycerol with three long-chain carboxylic
acids called fatty acids.
4. These lipids do not produce salts when added with NaOH
solution.
5. Because of their polar head and nonpolar tail, phospholipids are
organized into the cell membrane as this term.
Why is lipid structure highly varied?