Triglyceride Metabolism

These flashcards cover key terms related to triglyceride metabolism, including metabolic pathways and important enzymes involved.

Triglyceride

A type of fat found in the blood, composed of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol backbone.

Lipase

An enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids.

Glycerol Kinase

An enzyme that converts glycerol into glycerol phosphate using ATP.

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex

An enzyme complex that converts pyruvate into acetyl CoA, producing NADH and CO2.

Citric Acid Cycle

A series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetyl CoA.

Fatty Acyl CoA

The activated form of fatty acids, enabling their entry into the beta-oxidation pathway for energy production.

Beta-Oxidation

The metabolic process by which fatty acids are broken down to generate acetyl CoA, NADH, and FADH2.

Total ATP Yield

The total amount of ATP produced from the complete oxidation of one triglyceride molecule, calculated from both glycerol and fatty acids.

NADH

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (oxidized form), a coenzyme that plays a critical role in energy production.

FADH2

Flavin adenine dinucleotide (reduced form), a coenzyme produced during beta-oxidation and citric acid cycle that carries electrons to the electron transport chain.