LIPIDS

Characteristics of Lipids• Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and

Oxygen• Greater than 2:1 ratio of H:O• Includes fats, oils, phospholipids, and

cholesterol• Building blocks are fatty acids and

glycerol.• Energy storage molecules• Phospholipids part of cell membrane

Fatty Acid Structure

• Carboxyl group (COOH) forms the acid.• “R” group is a hydrocarbon chain.

A Representative Fatty Acid

SaturatedFatty Acid

UnsaturatedFatty Acid

Glycerol

Synthesis of a Fat

A Phospholipid

Phospholipids

• Contains a phosphate group• Two fatty acid and one phosphoric acid

molecule condensed with a molecule of glycerol

• Polar –OH group of phosphate are attracted to polar water molecules while rest of molecule is non-polar

Phospholipids

• Major components of cell membranes• Structure of phospholipids cause then to

orientate themselves into bilayers with a hydrophobic centre. This is the essential basis of cell membranes.