Carbohydrates and Lipids

These flashcards cover key concepts related to carbohydrates and lipids, including definitions, comparisons, and biological significance.

Carbohydrates

Organic molecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, generally with the formula (CH2O)n.

Monosaccharides

Simple monomeric sugars such as glucose.

Oligosaccharides

Carbohydrates that contain only a few monomer units.

Polysaccharides

Long polymers formed by the linkage of monosaccharides.

Dehydration reaction

A chemical reaction where two molecules bond together with the removal of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that involves breaking down a compound by the addition of water.

Starch

The storage polysaccharide of plants, consisting of glucose monomers.

Glycogen

The storage polysaccharide in animals, primarily found in muscle and liver.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide in plant cell walls that humans cannot digest.

Triacylglycerol

The main storage form of fat in adipose cells, consisting of one glycerol joined to three fatty acids.

Saturated fatty acids

Fatty acids with no double bonds, typically solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids with one or more double bonds and liquid at room temperature.

Essential Fatty Acids

Unsaturated fatty acids that the body cannot synthesize and must be obtained through diet.

Phospholipids

Molecules that consist of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group; they form cell membranes.

Steroids

Lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings.

Cholesterol

A crucial steroid component of animal cell membranes and a precursor for certain hormones.

Niemann-Pick disease

A disease linked to sphingomyelinase deficiency or defective cholesterol transport.

Krabbe’s disease

A disease caused by the accumulation of galactocerebroside due to mutations in the GALC gene.