BIOCHEMISTRY chapter #3

Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 32

BIOCHEMISTRY

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.

You might also like