BIOCHEMISTRY chapter #3
BIOCHEMISTRY chapter #3
BIOCHEMISTRY chapter #3
Chapter #3
Lipids
Organic compounds which are insoluble in water
but soluble in non-polar solvents like benzene,
alcohol, ether etc.
In chemistry we have general rule “like dissolve
like” it means polar solute will dissolve in polar
solvent and non polar solute in non-polar solvent.
Lipid is non-polar, therefore not soluble in water,
which is polar compound.
Chemical Definition
Lipids are the ester of fatty acids with some kind
of alcohol (glycerol).
Fatty acid + glycerol =» lipid
Glycerol:
It is a three carbon compound, each carbon have
a hydroxyl group attached. Hydroxyl group is
polar and therefore glycerol is soluble in water.
Fatty Acids
All fatty acids are carboxylic acids (R-COOH), but
only in the following condition.
Fatty acids are mono carboxylic.
Fatty acids are generally even chain.
Fatty acids are straight chain.
Carbon number usually vary between C₁₄- to – C₁₈.
General Formula of Fatty Acids
CnH₂nO₂ ―» for saturated fatty acids.
CnH₂n-xO₂ ―» for unsaturated fatty acids.
X = 2x number of double
bonds.
Classification of fatty acids
Fatty acids are classified as below.
Odd chain fatty acids:
o Those fatty acids have odd number of carbon
chain.
o E.g. valeric acid is 5 carbon containing fatty acids.
o They are found very rare.
Even chain fatty acid:
o Those fatty acids have even number of carbon
chain.
o Majority of fatty acids are even chain fatty acids.
o E.g. palmitic acids (C₁₆) stearic acids (C₁₈).
Saturated fatty acid:
o Fatty acids which have no double bond between
carbon atoms.
o Such molecules can't accommodate any more
hydrogen atom if added to them.
o Because we have no free space for addition of
atoms.
o E.g. = Acetic acid (C₂), Butyric acid (C₄), Palmitic
acid (C₁₆) and Stearic acid (C₁₈).
Unsaturated fatty acid:
o Fatty acid which have at least one or more double
bonds between carbon atoms.
o In this case we can add more atoms, because due
to free space.
Unsaturated fatty acids are further classified
according to the degree of their unsaturation.
Mono unsaturated fatty acids: contains only
one double bond e.g. Oleic acid.
Poly unsaturated fatty acids: contains more
than one double bond.
o E.g. Linolic acid ( C = 18, ∆² )
o Linolinic acid (C= 18, ∆ ³ )
o Arachidonic acid ( C = 18, ∆ ⁴ )
o ∆ represent double bond.
On Nutritional Basis
On nutritional basis fatty acids are classified as
below.
Essential fatty acids:
o Those fatty acids which are not synthesized by our
body and must be taken from diet for maintenance
of better health.
o Examples
o Linoleic acid
o Linolenic acid
o Archidonic acid
Non essential fatty acids:
o Those fatty acids which are synthesized by our
body and not needed from diet.
o Example:
o Acetic acid (C₂)
o Butyric acid (C₄)
o Caproic acid (C₆)
o Palmitic acid (C₁₆
o Stearic acid (C₁₈)
Classification of Lipids
A. Simple lipids:
o These are fatty acids with various alcohol.
o Simple lipid contribute about 90% of the lipids.
o These include fats, oil, waxes.
i) Fats
These are fatty acids (saturated) with glycerol.
Fats are also called triglyceride.
Fat is formed by the chemical combination of
glycerol and three saturated fatty acids as a result
water molecule is removed.
This reaction is called condensation.
Fat is solid at room temperature and contain
saturated fatty acids.
ii) Oil
Oil is liquid at room temperature.
These are formed from glycerol and unsaturated
fatty acids.
Unsaturated fatty acids + Glycerol ―» Oil
iii) Waxes
Waxes are fatty acids with alcohols other than
glycerol usually monohydroxy alcohol.
Solid at room temperature and hydrophobic.
They are stable compound and resistant to
degradation.
Examples:
Bees wax, sperm oil, lanolin (wool wax).
Uses of Waxes
Use in manufacture of polishes.
Manufacture of candles.
Use in the manufacture of ointments and
cosmetics.
B) Compound Lipids
These are lipids which in addition to fatty acid and
alcohol contain other substances too.
For example:
Phospholipids, Glycolipid, Sulfolipid and
Lipoproteins.
1) Phospholipids
A compound composed of one glycerol molecule, two
fatty acids and one phosphoric acid molecule are linked.
They are present in all biological cell membranes.
They play important role in oxidative phosphorylation.
They are of two types depending upon alcohol:
1. Glycerophospholipid 2.
Sphingophospholipid
• The alcohol is glycerol The alcohol is
sphingosine
2) Glycolipid
These contain fatty acid, sphingosine and
carbohydrates residues.
For example gangliosides and cerebrosides, which
are present in brain and nerves cells.
3) Sulfolipid
These contain sphingosine, a fatty acid, a sugar,
and sulfate group.
4) Lipoproteins
Combination of protein and lipid.
Help in transportation of lipid in blood.
They are of five types:
1. Chylomicrons =» rich in triglyceride.
2. VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) =» produce in liver
3. IDL (Intermediate lipoprotein) =» produce in peripheral
tissue from VLDL.
4. LDL (Low density lipoprotein) =» produce in liver by
degradation of IDL.
5. HDL (High density lipoprotein) =» more denser
synthesized in liver
C) Derived Lipids
These are hydrolytic products of simple and
compound lipids.
They include fatty acids, alcohols, cholesterol, fat
soluble vitamins etc.
Steroids and Sterol
Steroids are complex fat soluble molecules which
are present in the plasma lipoprotein and outer cell
membrane.
Steroids are lipids that don't contain fatty acids.
Sterol are alcohol form of steroids for example
when OH-group is attached to steroid it becomes
sterol.
Some of the natural compounds belonging to
steroids and sterol are cholesterol, bile salt, sex
hormones, vitamin D.
Cholesterol
Synthesized in cell cytosol. And its molecular
formula is C₂₇H₄₅OH.
Most abundant animal sterol.
Not soluble in water but soluble in fat solvent.
The human body can synthesized about 3 gm
cholesterol per day.
Function of Cholesterol
It is the structural component of cell membrane.
It is the precursor of various biological important
compound like bile acid, steroid hormone, and
vitamin D.
Component of lipoprotein which help in transport
of lipid in blood.
Regulation of Cholesterol Synthesis
Normal cholesterol level is 150 to 25o mg/dl in
blood.
High concentration leads to hypercholesterolemia,
which will leads to cardiovascular disease (heart
disease), so normal level of cholesterol in blood
should be maintained.
The main enzymes used in its synthesis is HMG-
COA reductase (B-hydroxy methyl glutaryl COA
reductase).
Whenever there is high cholesterol level in blood
then this enzyme is inhibited to stop further
synthesis of cholesterol in the body.
For this purpose we use statin (inhibitor) which
block the enzymes and so inhabits the liver from
production of cholesterol.
Clinical Significance of Lipids
They are good source of energy, 1g of lipid yield 9
K. cal energy.
Serve as thermal insulator.
Structural component of cell membrane.
Cholesterol is the precursor of steroidal
hormones, vitamin D, bile salt.
They dissolve the vitamin which are fat soluble.
Fats are good energy reservoirs in the body e.g.
Adipose tissues.
Lipids under the skin prevents excessive loss of
water and electrolytes.
They protect the body against injurious effects of
water soluble substances.
Prostaglandins have hormones like action in the
body.