Roles of lipids

• whats one function of triglycerides in plants and animals?

  energy reserves - in both plants and animals, because lipids contain more C-H bonds that carbohydrates
• whats a function of triglycerides in skin?

  thermal insulation - when stored under the skin, lipids insulate against heat loss in the cold, or heat gain when its very hot
• what is a function of triglycerides with organs?

  protection - fat is often stored around delicate internal organs such as kidneys, protecting against physical damage
• whats a function of triglycerides within chemical reactions?

  producing metabolic water - metabolic water is released from the body’s chemical reactions, triglycerides produce a lot when oxidised
• whats a function of phospholipids in membranes?

  structural - in biological membranes
• whats a function of phospholipids to do with nerve cells?

  electrical insulation - the myelin sheath that surrounds the axons of nerve cells
• whats a function of waxes?

  waterproofing - in terrestrial organism, waxes reduce water loss, such as in the insect exoskeleton and in the cuticle of plants
• whats metabolic water?


  water released in the cells of an organism by its metabolic reactions