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 Lipids- Defination 5 . Steroids

 Properties • Cholesterol
 Classification of Lipids 6 . Lipoproteins
• Difference between LDL and
 Categories of Lipids HDL
1. Fatty acids 7. Vitamins
• Types of Fatty acids  Lipid Metabolism
2. Waxes • Essential Fatty acids
• Biological importance • Beta-Oxidation
3. Triglycerides  Lipid associated
• Difference between Fats Disorders
and Oils  Disadvantages of
4. Phospholipids Lipids
• Types of Phospholipids  Advantages of Lipids

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 Lipids are the group of naturally occurring
molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols,
fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E,
and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides,
triglycerides, phospholipids, and others
 They are the major source of energy in our
body

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 They are hydrophobic in nature
 They are soluble in nonpolar solvents
 They are insoluble in polar solvents, such as
water
 They provide 9 kcal per gram of energy

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1. Simple lipids- fats, oils, waxes, steroids
2. Complex lipids- phospholipids,
sphingolipids, glycolipids
3. Derived lipids- hormones, fat soluble
vitamins

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 On the basis of hydrolysis in alkaline
solution, lipids are also classified as;
1. Sponificable lipids- that can be hydrolysed
under alkaline conditions to yield salts of
fatty acids
E.g. Triacylglyceride
2. Non- sponificable lipids- that do not
undergo hydrolysis in alkaline solution
E.g. Vitamin D & E, cholesterol

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• Fatty Acids
In the carboxylic acid family
• Waxes
Fatty Acids + Alcohols
• Triglycerides
3 Fatty acids + glycerol
• Phospholipids and glycolipids
2 fatty acids + glycerol + phosphate
• Steroids
Derivatives of cholesterol
• Eicosanoids
Derivatives of the Fatty acid arachidonic acid
• Vitamins
Vitamin A, D, E and K

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 They are carboxylic acids with an even
number of carbon atoms, usually between 10
and 20

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 Have one or more double bonds between
carbon atoms
 They may be di- and polyunsaturated fatty
acids
 Pairs of carbon atoms connected by double
bonds can be saturated by adding hydrogen
atoms, converting them to single bonds

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 Two carbon atoms in the chain are bound
next to either side of the double bond occur
in a cis or trans configuration

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 These contain carbon-carbon single bond
 These are long-chain carboxylic acids and
have no double bonds
 These are saturated with hydrogen
 Each carbon atom within the chain has 2
hydrogen atoms (except for the omega
carbon at the end that has 3 hydrogen)

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1. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)
 Fatty acids with aliphatic tails of fewer than
six carbons
 E.g. butyric acid
2. Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA)
 Fatty acids with aliphatic tails of 6–12
carbons, which can form medium-chain
triglycerides
 E.g. lauric acid ,caproic acid
3. Long-chain fatty acids (LCFA)
 Fatty acids with aliphatic tails 12 to 22
carbons
 E.g. palmitic acid

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 Omega 6 fatty acids:
Omega-6 fatty acids are a family of
polyunsaturated fatty acids that have in
common a final carbon-carbon double
bond in the n-6 position, that is, the sixth
bond, counting from the methyl end.
 Omega 3 fatty acids:

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated

fatty acids with a double bond (C=C) at the
third carbon atom from the end of the
carbon chain.

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 Waxes are esters of fatty acids with long
chain primary alcohols
 Very hydrophobic and used by plants and
animals for protective and water-proof
coatings

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 Formation of wax is shown below;

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 Leaves and fruits of many plants have waxy
coatings, which protect them from
dehydration and small predators
 Feathers of birds and the fur of some animals
have similar coatings which serve as a water
repellent
 Also used in wax polishes for furniture and
other wood products
 Some common examples of waxes are; bees
wax, shellac wax, carnauba wax, orange
blossom wax etc.

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 Triglycerides (triacylglycerols or TAG’s) are
triesters of glycerol and fatty acids
 These are a combination of three 3 fatty acid
molecules with a glycerol molecule as
described below;

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 Major form of energy storage in animals
 In mammals these are stored in the adipose
tissues
 Adipose tissue also functions to protect
organs from shock and cold
 When solid, they are called "fats" or "butters"
and when liquid they are called "oils“

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 Fats Oils
 Fats are solids at room  Oils are liquids at room
Temperature temperature
 Contain saturated fatty  Contain unsaturated fatty
acids acids
 Mostly come from  Mostly obtained from
animal sources e.g. plant sources e.g.
cow and goat Sunflower, soyabean
 Have lower melting points
 Have higher melting
i.e. Less then 20 °C
point i.e. greater then
20 °C  Are not stable and are
susceptable to oxidation
 Are more stable
 Examples are; olive oil,
 Examples are; butter, sunflower oil, soyabean
cheese etc. oil etc. 23
 Phospholipids are similar to TAG’s except
that one hydroxyl group of glycerol is
replaced by the ester of phosphoric acid and
an amino alcohol, bonded through a
phosphodiester bond

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 Commonly used as emulsifying agents
 An example is mayonnaise, which is a
colloidal suspension of oil and water
 Lecithin, another name for the
phospholipid phosphotidylcholine, is
used as an emulsifying agent in
mayonnaise and other prepared foods
 There are two types of phospholipids;
1. Glycerophosoholipids
2. Sphingolipids

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 They have a structure similar to triglycerides,
with one of the fatty acids replaced with a
phosphate
 There is usually an additional alcohol
attached to the other side of the phosphate

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The sphingolipids function similarly to the
glycerophospholipids
The glycerol and one of the fatty acids found
in glycerophospholipids is replaced with a
molecule called sphingosine
The sphingolipids are found in the myelin
membranes that insulate the nerve cells

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 Steroids are compounds containing the
steroid nucleus, which consists of three
cyclohexane rings and one cyclopentane ring
fused together
 Not derived from fatty acids

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 Cholesterol is the steroid that is used as the
starting point for the synthesis of other
steroids
 Only found in animals
 Dissolved in membranes to keep them fluid

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 These are used to transport the water insoluble
lipids such as triglycerides in the blood
 Contain lipids and proteins
 They include:
Chylomicrons transport primarily
triglycerides from the digestive track
LDLs transport cholesterol, triglycerides
and phospholipids from the liver to other
tissues
HDLs transport cholesterol and
phospholipids back to the liver

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 High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is referred as
“good cholesterol”
 It protects and benefits the heart
 This form of cholesterol transports harmful
cholesterol out of the arteries
 This cholesterol works by transporting
damaging low-density lipoprotein and very-
low-density lipoprotein to liver, where they
are broken down, allowing the body to
eliminate them

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 Low-density lipoprotein is also called as “bad
cholesterol”
 It is made by the body and is also absorbed
from cholesterol-rich foods such as red meat
and full-fat dairy
 It may fuse together with other fats and
substances and creates an obstruction in the
arteries
 This leads to reduced blood flow, which can
cause serious health complications

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 Low-density lipoprotein is very damaging to
our cardiovascular system
 It builds up on arterial walls, making them
stiff and cause blood clots
 As your heart works harder to push blood
through your clogged blood vessels, the
blood pressure goes up
 Over time, the extra wear and tear on the
heart makes heart muscles weak, elevating
your risk of heart disease

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 Some vitamins (A, D2, E and K1) are fat
soluble, therefore, considered lipids
 Play important roles in vision, bone growth,
and blood clotting
 E.g. Vitamin A is the part of visual pigment
Vitamin E is an antioxidant
Vitamin D is important in calcium
metabolism and bone growth
Vitamin K is a blood clotting factor

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 The digestion of dietary lipids begins in the
stomach and continues in the small intestine
 Emulsification is required for the efficient
degradation as lipids are hydrophobic in
nature
 Triacylglycerols (TAG) contain short- to
medium-chain length fatty acids are
degraded in the stomach by the acid lipases
 Phospholipids are degraded in small intestine
by enzymes secreated by pancreas

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  Dietary lipids containing LCFAs are emulsified
in small intestine using
i. Peristaltic action, and
ii. Bile salts
 The primary products resulting from the
enzymatic degradation of dietary lipids are;
• 2-monoacylglycerol,
• unesterified cholesterol and
• free fatty acids
 These compounds, plus the fat-soluble
vitamins, form mixed micelles that facilitate
the absorption of dietary lipids by intestinal
mucosal cells (enterocytes)
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 Enterocytes resynthesize TAG and
phospholipids which then assemble with the
fat soluble vitamins into chylomicrons
 These serum lipoproteins particles are
released into the lymph, which cerries them
to blood
 Short- and medium chain fatty acids enter
blood directly
 Thus, dietary lipids are transported to
peripheral tissues

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 Two fatty acids are dietary essential in
humans because of their unability to
stnthesize them
 These are;
1. Linoleic acid- precursor of ω-6 arachidonic
acid, the substrate for prostaglandin
2. α-linolenic acid- precursor of ω-3 fatty acid
which is important for growth and
development
 Plants provide us with the essential fatty
acids

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 Fatty acids are synthesized in the cytosol of
liver following a meal containing excess
carbohydrate and protein
 Carbons used to synthesize fatty acids are
provided by acetyl CoA, energy by ATP, and
reducing equivalents by NADPH
 The regulated step in fatty acid synthesis is
catalyzed by acetyl CoA carboxylase
 When fatty acids are required by the body for
energy, adipose cell lipase initiates
degradation of stored triacylglycerol

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 Fatty acids are carried by serum albumin to
the liver and peripheral tissues, where it’s
oxidation provides energy
 Fatty acid degradation (β-oxidation) occurs in
mitochondria producing acetyl CoA, NADH,
and FADH2
 Oxidation of fatty acids with an odd number
of carbons proceeds two carbons at a time
until three carbons remain (propionyl CoA)
 β-Oxidation of very long chain fatty acids
occur in the peroxisome

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 A lipid disorder describes a condition in
which one have high levels of low-density
lipoprotein (LDL) and fats called triglycerides
 People with high LDL cholesterol and high
triglycerides are at an increased risk of
developing heart disease

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 Excess amounts of fats weaken the body’s
defence against several health conditions
 Cause cardiovascular diseases
 Increase blood pressure
 Contribute to weight gain and Obesity
 Causes artheroclerosis
 Also cause some forms of cancer
 Fats being hydrophobic combine together
and cause difficulty in blood circulation
 Fats take longer time to convert into energy

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 Lipids are component of cell mambrane
 Source of energy for the body
 Contribute in brain development
 Helps in cholesterol production for liver
 Satisfy hunger as they stay longer in stomach
 Maintains several body functions especially
fat-soluble vitamins
 Keeps membrane fluidity
 Add flavour to the food

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