More details to lipids

• Adipoycytes containing fat globule are specialized for the synthesis and storage of triacylglycerol
• Large globules of fat in adipocytes are called lipid droplets
• Adipocytes in animals and plants are energy storage cells.
• Adipocytes containing fat globule are insulated at low temperatures
• Adipocytes containing fat globule are the better storage form of energy for two reasons
• The first reason is that they are hydrophobic and they form droplets, as they store an equivalent amount of energy in about one-eight the space
• The second reason is that they are more reduced and thus can release more electrons per molecule when oxidized
• Since olive oil is liquid at room temperature, unsaturated bonds are more predominant
• More saturated fatty acids indicate a harder solid state at room temperature
• Hard solid has more unsaturated bonds than soft solid
• Butter is a soft solid, while beef fat is a hard solid
• Saponification is when triacylglycerol is hydrolyzed by a base to release glycerol and soap of either sodium or potassium salt of fatty acids
• Acids is used to make the reaction reversible in a saponification reaction, resulting in esterification of the glycerol and fatty acid salts to form triacylglycerol
• Soaps form water insoluble salts when used in hard water which either contains calcium, magnesium, and Ferrous ions
• Lipases are a group of enzymes that break down fats into fatty acids and glycerol molecules
• Margarines and fats are prepared using cis-fats and were heated to convert some bonds into trans configurations, resulting in solid trans fats that makes margarine and butter spreadable
• Reusing cooking oil is not recommended due to the conversion of cis fats to trans fats each time it is reused
• Waxes serve as energy stores and water impermeable coating
• Besswax contains alcohol esters
• Beeswax contain 46 carbons with no unsaturated bonds, thus making it a hard solid fat
• Beeswax is an example of waxes which contains the esterification of palmitic acid and 1 - Triacontanol
• Waxes are complex mixtures of nonpolar lipids
• Wax esters serve as protective coatings on the leaves, stems, and fruits of plants, and on the skin and fur of animals
• Wax esters are composed of long chain fatty acids and long chain alcohols
• An example of wax esters include carnuba/melissyl cerotate and beeswax
• The common examples membrane lipids include phospholipids, glycolipids, and cholesterol
• Cholesterol is present to maintain membrane fluidity and prevent solidification
• Amphipathic molecules has a polar head group and a non-polar tail
• Phospholipids, a major class of membrane lipids has a polar head group which is a negatively charged phosphate and other polar charged group; while the nonpolar tail is a fatty acid
• Due to amphipathic property of phospholipids, they act in membrane formation, emulsification, and as surfactants
• Due to the amphipathic property of phospholipids, they spontaneously rearrange into an ordered structure forming a bilayer when suspended in water
• The two types of phospholipids include sphingomyelins and phosphoglycerides
• Sphingomyelin contains sphingosine instead of glycerol
• Ceramides are molecules which are made of a sphingosine and a fatty acid
• Sphingomyelins are also classified as sphingolipids
• Phosphoglycerides include a glycerol, fatty acids, phosphate, and an alcohol
• Phosphatidic acid is the simplest phospholipid which is composed of glycerol-3-phosphate and 2 fatty acids known as glycerophospholipids
• Triacylglycerols are nonpolar storage lipids
• Triacylglycerol contains polar oxygen atom distributed all through the molecule, which is why they are either neutral or nonpolar
• Triacylglycerols are 3 hydroxyl that were esterified to a fatty acid