Lipids

Lipids are composed of long hydrocarbon chains. Lipid molecules contain a large
amount of energy and act as energy storage molecules. Lipids are important
constituent of of the diet because they are a source of high energy value. Lipids
are also important because of the fat-soluble vitamins, and essential fatty acids
found in the fat of the natural food. Lipids are generally esters of fatty acids and
are building blocks of biological membranes. Most of the lipids have a polar head
and non-polar tail. Fatty acids can be unsaturated and saturated fatty acids.
Lipids present in biological membranes are of three classes based on the type of
hydrophilic head present:

Glycolipids are lipids whose head contains oligosaccharides with 1-15

saccharide residues.
Phospholipids contain a positively charged head which are linked to the
negatively charged phosphate groups.
Sterols, whose head contain a steroid ring. Example steroid.

Example of lipids: oils, fats, phospholipids, glycolipids.

Structure of Lipids
Triglycerides are fats and oils. Triglycerides have a glycerol backbone bonded to
three fatty acids that bond together and form ester bond through esterification
process.
Fatty acids - Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, Palmitoleic acid, Arachidonic acid.

Fats and Oils Butter and oil.

Waxes
Phospholipids
Glycolipids
Steroids
Terpenes
Carotenoids

Function of Lipid

Lipids are storage compounds, triglycerides serve as reserve energy of the

body.
Lipids are important component of cell membranes structure in eukaryotic
cells.
Lipids regulate membrane permeability.
They serve as source for fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, K.
They act electrical insulators to the nerve fibres, where the myelin sheath
contains lipids.
Lipids are components of some enzyme systems.
Layers of fat provides insulation and protection from cold. Body
temperature maintenance is done by brown fat.
Cholesterol maintains fluidity of membranes.