Lipids: Chapter 18 PDF

Chapter 18 Lipids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part....

Chapter 18 Lipids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 1  Learning Objectives (1 of 2) Classify lipids as saponifiable or nonsaponifiable and list five major functions of lipids Describe four general characteristics of fatty acids Draw structural formulas of triglycerides given the formulas of the component parts Describe the structural similarities and differences of fats and oils Write key reactions for fats and oils Compare the structures of fats and waxes Draw structural formulas and describe uses for phosphoglycerides Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 2  Learning Objectives (2 of 2) Draw structural formulas and describe uses for sphingolipids Describe the major features of cell membrane structure Identify the structural characteristic typical of steroids and list important groups of steroids in the body Name the major categories of steroid hormones Describe the biological importance and therapeutic uses of the prostaglandins Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 3  Lipids Biological compounds that are soluble only in nonpolar solvents Saponifiable lipids - Contain esters that are hydrolyzed under basic conditions Classified on the basis of number of components in the structure Simple lipids: Contain one or more fatty acids and an alcohol Complex lipids: Contain more than two types of components Components include an alcohol, fatty acids, and other components Nonsaponifiable lipids - Do not contain esters and cannot be hydrolyzed Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 4 Figure 18.3 - The Major Types of Lipids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 5  Functions of Lipids Repel water Characteristic of protective wax coatings found on some plants Energy-rich compounds with low densities Used as storage forms of energy in plants and animals Used as structural components, especially in the formation of cellular membrane Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 6  Fatty Acids Building blocks of lipids Long-chain carboxylic acids Long nonpolar tails are responsible for most of the fatty or oily characteristics of fat Carboxyl group, or the polar head, is very hydrophilic under conditions of physiological pH Exists as —COO−) Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 7  Micelle Spherical cluster of molecules in which: Polar chains are on the surface Nonpolar chains are located in the interior and are held together by weak dispersion forces Micelle formation and structure are important for biological functions, such as the transport of insoluble lipids in blood Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 8  Characteristics of Fatty Acids Usually straight-chain carboxylic acids (no branching) Sizes range from 10–20 carbons Usually have an even number of carbon atoms Can be: Saturated - Contain no C=C bonds Unsaturated - Contain one or more C=C bonds, usually in the cis configuration Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 9  Table 18.1 - Some Important Fatty Acids Compound Type and Name Formula Melting Common Sources Number of Carbons Point (°C) Saturated 14 Myristic acid CH3(CH2)12—COOH 54 Butterfat, coconut oil, nutmeg oil 16 Palmitic acid CH3(CH2)14—COOH 63 Lard, beef fat, butterfat, cottonseed oil 18 Stearic acid CH3(CH2)16—COOH 70 Lard, beef fat, butterfat, cottonseed oil 20 Arachidic acid CH3(CH2)18—COOH 76 Peanut oil Monounsaturated 16 Palmitoleic acid CH3(CH2)5CH═CH(CH2)7—COOH −1 Cod liver oil, butterfat 18 Oleic acid CH3(CH2)7CH═CH(CH2)7—COOH 13 Lard, beef fat, olive oil, peanut oil Polyunsaturated 18 Linoleic acida CH3(CH2)4(CH═CHCH2)2(CH2)6—COOH −5 Cottonseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, linseed oil 18 Linolenic acidb CH3CH2(CH═CHCH2)3(CH2)6—COOH −11 Linseed oil, corn oil 20 Arachidonic acida CH3(CH2)4(CH═CHCH2)4(CH2)2—COOH −50 Corn oil, linseed oil, animal tissues 20 Eicosapentaenoic acidb CH3CH2(CH═CHCH2)5(CH2)2—COOH −54 Fish oil, seafoods 22 Docosahexaenoic acidb CH3CH2(CH═CHCH2)6CH2—COOH −44 Fish oil, seafoods a Omega-6 fatty acid. Omega-3 fatty acid. b Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 10  Characteristics of Unsaturated Fatty Acids Cis configuration creates a long kink, or bend, in the fatty acid chain, which prevents the chains from packing closely together Leads to weaker intermolecular forces and lower melting point Fatty acids are liquids at room temperature Melting point decreases as the number of carbon double bonds increase Fluidity of biological membranes is explained by the length of the chain and presence of double bonds Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 11 Figure 18.6 - Space-Filling Model of Fatty Acids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 12  Essential Fatty Acids Not synthesized within the body and are obtained through diet Linoleic (omega-3 fatty acid) and linolenic (omega-6 fatty acid) acid Used to produce hormonelike substances that regulate: Blood pressure and blood clotting Blood lipid levels Immune and inflammation responses Can be converted to other omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 13  Fats and Oils Esters that contain an: Alcohol portion, which is derived from glycerol Acid portion, which is furnished by fatty acids Esterification results in the formation of triglycerides or triacylglycerols Natural triglycerides are mixtures of different triglyceride molecules Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 14 Example of an Esterification Reaction Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 15  Differences between Fats and Oils Fats are: Derived from animal sources Solids at room temperature Primarily composed of triglycerides of long-chain saturated fatty acids Oils are: Derived from plant and fish sources Liquids at room temperature Composed of triglycerides that contain unsaturated fatty acids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 16 Figure 18.8 - A Comparison of Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Some Foods Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 17  Excessive Dietary Fat Influences the development of chronic diseases and plays a role in raising blood cholesterol levels High cholesterol is a risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in Americans every year Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 18  Reactions of Fats and Oils - Hydrolysis Important for the digestion of oils and fats Results in the formation of glycerol and fatty acids Process can be catalyzed by enzymes (lipases) of the digestive system Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 19  Reactions of Fats and Oils – Saponification (1 of 2) Process of reacting triglycerides with a strong base to produce glycerol and soaps (salts of the fatty acids) Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 20  Reactions of Fats and Oils – Saponification (2 of 2) Properties of the soap depend on the base used Sodium salts (hard salts) are found in cake soap Potassium salts (soft soaps) are found in shaving creams and liquid soap preparations Traditional soap making: Used animal fat as the source of triglycerides Used lye (crude NaOH) or an aqueous extract of wood ash as the source of the base Was lost with the fall of the Roman Empire Soapless centuries (A.D. 500–1500) were notorious for the devastating plagues that nearly depopulated an unsanitary western Europe Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 21  Reactions of Fats and Oils - Hydrogenation Reaction by which fatty acid double bonds are converted to single bonds Decreases the degree of unsaturation Increases the melting point Complete hydrogenation results in a hard and waxy product Partial hydrogenation results in a smooth, creamy product Some fatty acid molecules in the cis configuration are isomerized into trans fatty acids Consumption of trans fatty acids raises blood cholesterol levels Current dietary advice is to reduce the consumption of products that contain saturated and trans fatty acids Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 22  Hydrogenation - Example Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 23  Reaction Map for Triglycerides Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 24  Waxes Esters of long-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols Water insoluble and not easily hydrolyzed Occur as protective coatings in nature on skin, fruits, leaves, and fur Used commercially to make cosmetics, candles, ointments, and protective polishes Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 25  Phosphoglycerides (1 of 2) Complex lipids that contain: Glycerol Fatty acids Phosphoric acid Aminoalcohol component Referred to as phospholipids Example Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 26  Phosphoglycerides (2 of 2) Contain one of the following alcohols attached to the phosphate group: Choline Ethanolamine Serine Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 27  Phosphoglycerides - Lecithins Contain choline Important structural components of most cell membranes Act as emulsifying and micelle-forming agents Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 28  Phosphoglycerides - Cephalins Contain ethanolamine or serine Found in most cell membranes, especially in brain tissue and blood platelets Act as emulsifiers Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 29  Sphingolipids Complex lipids that contain sphingosine rather than glycerol Sphingosine - Long-chain unsaturated aminoalcohol Types Sphingomyelin - Contains a sphingosine, a fatty acid, and phosphate and choline groups Glycolipid: Contains a sphingosine, a fatty acid, and a carbohydrate unit Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 30  Sphingomyelin Choline is attached to the sphingosine via a phosphate group Contains an amide linkage instead of an ester linkage Found in the myelin sheath surrounding nerves and in brain and nerve tissues Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 31  Glycolipids Known as cerebrosides because of their abundance in brain tissue Do not contain phosphate Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 32  Sphingolipids and Diseases Several human diseases result from an abnormal accumulation of sphingomyelins and glycolipids in the body Each of these diseases is the result of an inherited absence of an enzyme needed to break down these complex lipids Disease Organ(s) Affected Type of Lipid Accumulated Tay-Sachs Brain Glycolipid (ganglioside GM2) Gaucher’s Spleen, liver Cerebrosides containing glucose Niemann-Pick Several, particularly liver Sphingomyelins and spleen Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 33  Cell Structure Cell types Prokaryotic cells: Simple unicellular organisms Do not contain a nucleus or membrane-enclosed organelles Eukaryotic cells: Contain membrane-enclosed organelles, particularly a nucleus Organelle: Specialized structure within a cell that performs a specific function Roles of the cell membrane External cell membrane functions as a selective barrier between the living cell and its environment Internal membranes surround some organelles, creating cellular compartments that have separate organization and functions Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 34  Table 18.3 - Functions of Some Cellular Organelles Organelle Function Endoplasmic reticulum Synthesis of proteins, lipids, and other substances Lysosome Digestion of substances taken into cells Microfilaments and Cellular movements microtubules Mitochondrion Cellular respiration and energy production Nucleus Contains hereditary material (DNA), which directs protein synthesis Plastids Contains plant pigments such as chlorophyll (photosynthesis) Ribosome Protein synthesis Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 35  Membrane Structure (1 of 2) Most membranes are 60% lipid and 40% protein Predominant types of lipids include phosphoglycerides, sphingomyelin, and cholesterol Fluid-mosaic model Model of membrane structure in which proteins are embedded in a flexible lipid bilayer Hydrophobic chains extend toward the inside Hydrophilic groups are oriented toward th outsiede When a lipid bilayer is broken and the tails are exposed to water, the resulting repulsion causes the bilayer to re-form, and the break seals spontaneously Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 36 Figure 18.14 - Fluid-Mosaic Model of Membrane Structure Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 37  Figure 18.15 - Lipid Bilayers Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 38  Membrane Structure (2 of 2) Membrane lipids contain unsaturated fatty acid chains that fit into bilayers more loosely than saturated fatty acids Increases flexibility or fluidity of the membrane Proteins either float in the lipid bilayer or extend completely through the bilayer Lipid molecules are free to move laterally within the bilayer Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 39  Steroids Broad class of compounds that contain four rings fused in a particular pattern Soluble in nonpolar solvents Include cholesterol and bile salts Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 40  Cholesterol Most abundant steroid in the human body Essential component of cell membranes Precursor for other important steroids Present in food and is synthesized in the liver Strong correlation exists between cholesterol levels in the blood and atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 41  Bile Yellowish-brown or green liver secretion that is stored and concentrated in the gallbladder When partially digested fatty food enters the small intestine, the gallbladder contracts and empties bile into the intestine Chief constituents - Bile salts and waste components Sodium glycocholate is a principal bile salt Waste components include cholesterol and bile pigments Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 42  Functions of Bile Salts Emulsification of lipids in the intestine by breaking large lipid globules into smaller droplets Provides more surface area for hydrolysis reactions Emulsification of cholesterol found in bile High cholesterol levels in bile or high concentration of bile salts can lead to the formation of gallstones Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 43  Gallstones Passage of a gallstone causes excruciating pain Can become lodged in the bile duct and prevent bile from passing into the duodenum, which prevents normal digestion of fats Results in: Pain Nausea and feeling of being ill Skin taking on a yellow color as bile pigments are absorbed into the blood Stool becoming gray-colored because of the lack of excreted bile pigments Can be surgically removed Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 44  Steroid Hormones Hormone: Chemical messenger secreted by specific glands and carried by the blood to a target tissue, where it triggers a particular response Categories Adrenocorticoid hormones Sex hormones Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 45  Adrenocorticoid Hormones Produced by the adrenal cortex Classified on the basis of function Mineralocorticoids - Regulate the concentration of ions in bodily fluids Example Aldosterone increases absorption of Na+ and Cl– and is involved in water balance in the body Glucocorticoids - Enhance carbohydrate metabolism Example Cortisol increases glucose and glycogen concentrations and has powerful anti-inflammatory effects in the body Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 46 Examples of Adrenocorticoid Hormones Cortisol Aldosterone Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 47  Sex Hormones Produced by the testes (in men) and ovaries (in women) Help develop secondary sex characteristics that appear at puberty Androgens Male sex hormones produced by testes Include testosterone, which promotes normal growth of male genital organs Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 48  Anabolic Steroids Growth-promoting steroids Include testosterone and its synthetic derivatives Used by athletes to promote muscular development without excessive masculinization Side effects range from acne to deadly liver tumors Affect the male reproductive system and can cause: Testicular atrophy Decrease in sperm count Temporary infertility Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 49  Female Sex Hormones Important in the reproductive process Estrogen Essential estrogens include estradiol and estrone Involved in the development of the ovum Progesterone Causes changes in the uterine wall to prepare it to accept a fertilized egg and maintain the resulting pregnancy Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 50  Prostaglandins (1 of 2) Cyclical compounds synthesized in the body from the 20-carbon unsaturated fatty acid arachidonic acid Designated by codes that refer to the ring substituents and the number of side-chain double bonds Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 51  Prostaglandins (2 of 2) Similar to hormones since they are intimately involved in a host of body processes Involved in: Regulation of menstruation Prevention of conception Induction of uterine contractions Stimulate blood clotting Lead to inflammation and fever, which can be inhibited by aspirin Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 52  Therapeutic Potential of Prostaglandins Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2 (PGF2) Induce labor Used for therapeutic abortion in early pregnancy PGE2 in aerosol form Used to treat asthma Opens up bronchial tubes by relaxing the surrounding muscles Other prostaglandins inhibit gastric secretions and are used to treat peptic ulcers Many researchers believe that when they are fully understood, prostaglandins will be found useful for treating a much wider variety of ailments Seager, Slabaugh, Hansen, General, Organic, and Biochemistry, Tenth Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. 53