BIOC 2580 Chapter Notes -Glycerol, Adipocyte, Monounsaturated Fat
19 Oct 2013
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Document Summary
Fats and oils are stored forms of energy in organisms. Phospholipids and sterols are major structural elements of biological membranes. Other lipids play crucial roles such as: enzyme cofactors, electron carriers, light-absorbing pigments, hydrophobic anchors for proteins, chaperones to help membrane proteins fold, emulsifying agents in digestive tract, hormones, intracellular messengers. Fats and oils are derivatives of fatty acids. Fatty acids are hydrocarbon derivatives at about the same low oxidation state (highly reduced) as the hydrocarbons in fossil fuels. Cellular oxidation of fatty acids is highly exergonic. Two types of fatty acid: triacylglycerol, waxes. Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with hydrocarbon chains ranging from 4 to. In most monounsaturated fatty acids the double bond is between c9 and c10. Physical properties are determined by the length and degree of unsaturation of the hydrocarbon chain. Nonpolar hydrocarbon chain accounts for the poor solubility of fatty acids in water.
