Lecture_1__II__F24__Lipids___TAG_

Lipids

Structurally diverse group of hydrophobic molecules important in biological systems.

Hydrophobicity

The common chemical property of lipids that causes them to be insoluble in water.

Triacylglycerols

Fats and oils that function primarily as energy storage.

Phospholipids

Major structural elements of biological membranes.

Steroid hormones

Lipid signals involved in cell-cell communication.

Coenzyme Q

An enzyme cofactor involved in the mitochondrial electron transport chain.

Glycolipids

Lipid molecules that contain both sugar and lipid portions, important in cell membranes.

Lipoproteins

Plasma lipoproteins associated with cardiovascular health.

Saturated fatty acids

Fatty acids containing no double bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated fatty acids

Fatty acids containing one or more double bonds in the carbon chain.

Degree of saturation

Determined by the number of double bonds in fatty acids, affecting the physical state.

Trans fats

Fats formed by partial hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids; associated with health risks.

Melting point

Temperature at which a fatty acid transitions from solid to liquid, influenced by chain length and saturation.

TAGs (Triacylglycerols)

Formed by linking three fatty acids to a glycerol molecule, major form of fat storage in biological systems.

Cis configuration

Configuration of double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids that introduces a kink in the chain.

Eicosanoids

Signaling molecules derived from fatty acids that have various roles in the body.