Lipid Molecule
A Lipid Molecule is a biological molecule that is hydrophobic or amphiphilic.
- AKA: Fat (for specific types), Lipophilic Substance, Fatty Substance.
- Context:
- It can typically be extracted using Nonpolar Solvents like chloroform or ether.
- It can typically exhibit Hydrophobic Behavior repelling water molecules.
- It can typically function in Energy Storage with high caloric density.
- It can typically form Biological Membranes through self-assembly.
- It can typically serve as Signaling Molecules in cellular communication.
- It can typically provide Thermal Insulation and mechanical protection.
- It can typically transport Fat-Soluble Vitamins in biological systems.
- It can typically undergo Metabolic Processes including synthesis and degradation.
- It can typically be classified by Chemical Structure and biological function.
- It can typically accumulate in Adipose Tissue for long-term storage.
- ...
- It can often exist as Individual Molecules or molecular aggregates.
- It can often form Supramolecular Structures like membranes and vesicles.
- It can often be modified through Biochemical Pathways.
- It can often participate in Disease Processes when dysregulated.
- It can often be obtained from Dietary Sources or endogenous synthesis.
- It can often interact with Proteins forming lipoprotein complexes.
- It can often undergo Oxidation leading to rancidity or cellular damage.
- It can often be used in Industrial Applications and biotechnology.
- ...
- It can range from being a Simple Lipid to being a Complex Lipid, depending on its molecular complexity.
- It can range from being an Essential Lipid to being a Non-Essential Lipid, depending on its dietary requirement.
- It can range from being a Structural Lipid to being a Storage Lipid, depending on its primary function.
- It can range from being a Hydrophobic Lipid to being an Amphiphilic Lipid, depending on its water interaction.
- ...
- It can be studied in Lipidology and lipidomics.
- It can be analyzed using Thin-Layer Chromatography, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry.
- It can have Clinical Significance in cardiovascular disease, obesity, and metabolic disorders.
- It can be targeted by Lipid-Lowering Drugs and dietary interventions.
- ...
- Example(s):
- Organism Lipids, such as:
- Animal Lipids, such as:
- Adipose Tissue Lipids, storing energy reserves.
- Membrane Lipids, forming cellular boundaries.
- Milk Lipids, providing infant nutrition.
- Brain Lipids, including myelin components.
- Plant Lipids, such as:
- Seed Oils, like olive oil and sunflower oil.
- Waxes, protecting plant surfaces.
- Cutin, forming plant cuticles.
- Microbial Lipids, such as:
- Bacterial Membrane Lipids, including lipopolysaccharides.
- Archaeal Lipids, with ether linkages.
- Fungal Lipids, including ergosterol.
- Animal Lipids, such as:
- Synthetic Lipids, such as:
- Dietary Lipids, such as:
- Cooking Oils and fats.
- Essential Fatty Acids requiring dietary intake.
- Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K).
- Lipid Classes, such as:
- Neutral Lipids, including triglycerides.
- Polar Lipids, including phospholipids.
- Lipid Molecules, individual chemical compounds.
- Lipid Complexes, including lipoproteins.
- Clinical Lipids, such as:
- Blood Lipids, measured in lipid panels.
- Cholesterol, monitored for cardiovascular risk.
- Triglycerides, indicating metabolic health.
- ...
- Organism Lipids, such as:
- Counter-Example(s):
- Carbohydrate, which are hydrophilic rather than hydrophobic substances.
- Protein, which are amino acid polymers rather than fatty substances.
- Nucleic Acid, which are nucleotide polymers soluble in aqueous solutions.
- Mineral, which are inorganic substances rather than organic lipids.
- Water-Soluble Vitamin, which dissolve in water rather than lipids.
- Polysaccharide, which are sugar polymers rather than lipid substances.
- See: Lipid Molecule, Biomolecule, Hydrophobic Substance, Amphiphilic Molecule, Lipid Metabolism, Cell Membrane, Energy Storage, Lipid Signaling, Lipoprotein, Adipose Tissue, Fatty Acid, Cholesterol, Phospholipid, Triglyceride.
References
2020
- (Wikipedia, 2020) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/lipid Retrieved:2020-3-26.
- In biology and biochemistry, a lipid is a biomolecule that is soluble in nonpolar solvents. Non-polar solvents are typically hydrocarbons used to dissolve other naturally occurring hydrocarbon lipid molecules that do not (or do not easily) dissolve in water, including fatty acids, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, and phospholipids.
The functions of lipids include storing energy, signaling, and acting as structural components of cell membranes. Lipids have applications in the cosmetic and food industries as well as in nanotechnology.
Scientists sometimes define lipids as hydrophobic or amphiphilic small molecules; the amphiphilic nature of some lipids allows them to form structures such as vesicles, multilamellar/unilamellar liposomes, or membranes in an aqueous environment. Biological lipids originate entirely or in part from two distinct types of biochemical subunits or "building-blocks": ketoacyl and isoprene groups. Using this approach, lipids may be divided into eight categories: fatty acids, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, saccharolipids, and polyketides (derived from condensation of ketoacyl subunits); and sterol lipids and prenol lipids (derived from condensation of isoprene subunits).
Although the term "lipid" is sometimes used as a synonym for fats, fats are a subgroup of lipids called triglycerides. Lipids also encompass molecules such as fatty acids and their derivatives (including tri-, di-, monoglycerides, and phospholipids), as well as other sterol-containing metabolites such as cholesterol. Although humans and other mammals use various biosynthetic pathways both to break down and to synthesize lipids, some essential lipids can't be made this way and must be obtained from the diet.
- In biology and biochemistry, a lipid is a biomolecule that is soluble in nonpolar solvents. Non-polar solvents are typically hydrocarbons used to dissolve other naturally occurring hydrocarbon lipid molecules that do not (or do not easily) dissolve in water, including fatty acids, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, and phospholipids.