22 Questions
What are lipids mainly formed from?
Alcohol and fatty acids
Which of the following is not a major biological function of lipids?
Protein synthesis
How are lipids transported in the blood?
By binding to proteins as lipoproteins
How are lipids divided based on their complexity?
Simple and complex lipids
Which phospholipid is a major component of the mitochondrial membrane and promotes the formation of highly curved regions within the inner mitochondrial membrane?
Cardiolipin
Which phospholipid is the most abundant in cell membranes and is also known as lecithins?
Phosphatidylcholine
Which phospholipid contains ethanolamine instead of choline and is known as cephalins?
Phosphatidylethanolamine
Which phospholipid plays a key role in cell cycle signaling, specifically in relation to apoptosis?
Phosphatidylserine
Which phospholipid is a precursor of secondary messengers?
Phosphatidylinositol
What are lysophospholipids mainly important for?
Increasing interconversion and metabolism of phospholipids
What percentage of brain and muscle phospholipids do plasmalogens constitute?
10%
What are sphingomyelins abundant in?
Nervous tissue
What is the main component of fat stores in organisms?
Triacylglycerols
Which type of fatty acids have a lower melting point and are more susceptible to oxidation?
Unsaturated fatty acids
What are linoleic and linolenic acids known as?
Essential unsaturated fatty acids
What is the significance of phosphatidylglycerol?
It forms cardiolipin in mitochondria
What affects the spatial configuration and importance of unsaturated fatty acids in membranes?
Cis or trans double bonds
What are complex lipids mainly composed of, besides fatty acids and alcohols?
Phospholipids and glycolipids
How many types of fatty acids have been identified?
More than 100 types
What is the structure of unsaturated fatty acids?
Long hydrocarbon chains with double bonds
What are phospholipids derived from?
Glycerol and sphingosine
How many classes are phospholipids divided into?
Four
Study Notes
- Simple lipids are made up of fatty acids and their esters with various alcohols, while complex lipids contain other groups besides fatty acids and alcohols, such as phospholipids and glycolipids.
- More than 100 types of fatty acids have been identified, which can be saturated or unsaturated and have varying lengths and locations of double bonds.
- Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains with a methyl group at one end and a carboxyl group at the other. They are mostly straight chains with an even number of carbon atoms.
- Unsaturated fatty acids have a lower melting point and are more susceptible to oxidation than saturated fatty acids.
- Linoleic and linolenic acids are essential unsaturated fatty acids that cannot be produced by mammals and must be obtained through diet.
- Unsaturated fatty acids can have cis or trans double bonds, which affects their spatial configuration and importance in membranes.
- Triacylglycerols are esters of fatty acids with glycerol and are the main components of fat stores in organisms.
- Phospholipids are important components of biological membranes, derived from glycerol and a more complex alcohol called sphingosine, and consist of a glycerol/sphingosine backbone, two fatty acids, and a phosphorylated alcohol.
- Phospholipids are divided into eight classes, including phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, lysophospholipids, plasmalogens, and sphingomyelins.
- Phosphatidylglycerol is significant as it forms cardiolipin in mitochondria.
Test your knowledge on the structure, nomenclature, and classification of biological lipids, including fatty acids, triacylglycerols, phospholipids, glycolipids, and steroids. Understand the chemical diversity and insolubility in water of biological lipids, along with their significance in living cells.
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