Lipids and Their Biomedical Importance

These flashcards cover key concepts related to lipids, including their structure, classification, functions, and biomedical importance.

Lipids are important dietary constituents because they can be metabolized for ______

fuel (energy)

Lipids are stored in ______ tissue and serve as thermal insulator around certain organs

adipose

Lipids act as ______ insulators of nerve cells, allowing rapid propagation of electrical signals

electrical

Lipids act as electrical _______ of nerve cells, allowing rapid propagation of electrical signals

insulators

Lipids are macromolecules of mostly __ and H with some O, N, P, including fats, oils, waxes, and steroids

C

Lipids are macromolecules of mostly C and ___ with some O, N, P, including fats, oils, waxes, and steroids

H

Lipids are macromolecules of mostly C and H with some _____ including fats, oils, waxes, and steroids

O, N, P,

Lipids are macromolecules of mostly C and H with some O, N, P, including fats, oils, waxes, and ______

steroids

Lipids are hydro_____

phobic

Lipids are lipo_____

philic

________: often contain small polar and large nonpolar moieties

Amphipathic

Lipids have variety of functions: _______ storage; membrane structure; signal transduction

energy

Lipids have variety of functions: energy storage; ________ structure; signal transduction

membrane

Lipids are not polymers, per se, but ______ in water

aggregate

Lipids have variety of functions: energy storage; membrane structure; _______

signal transduction

Unsaturated Fatty Acids π-bond may be _____ or trans

cis

Unsaturated Fatty Acids π-bond may be cis or _____

trans

Most naturally occurring FAs have ____ π-bond(s)

cis

p-bond geometry significantly impacts _____ & properties (e.g., MP)

structure

p-bond geometry significantly impacts structure & ____ (e.g., MP)

properties

Eicosanoids Act as local _____ (messengers)

hormones

Fatty acids are _____ in the body as triacylglycerol

stored

The primary energy storage form of fatty acids in the body is __.

Triacylglycerols

The term for fatty acids that contain no double bonds is __.

Saturated

Fatty acids that have one or more double bonds are referred to as __ fatty acids.

Unsaturated

Phospholipids _______ in H2O

aggregate

The structure that gives fluidity and elasticity to cell membranes is known as the __ model.

Fluid mosaic

The more _______ fatty acid residues the more fluid/elastic the membrane

unsaturated

Lipids that assist in cellular signalling and regulation of physiology are known as __.

Hormones

cholesterol, helps maintain ______ of cell membrane

fluidity

Many are lipids/steroids derived from ______

cholesterol

The primary structural class of lipids that contains a phosphate group is __.

Phospholipids

The more __ the fatty acid residues in the membrane, the more fluid and elastic it becomes.

Unsaturated

Fatty acids can be classified by their number of carbon atoms and the number of __ they possess.

Double bonds

Lipids, in a sense, provide the structural framework for life (_____) to exist

cells

Lipids σeparate “______” from inside

outside

Lipids σeparate “outside” from _____

inside