Term
Why are fatty acids named fatty acids? What is “fatty” about them? What is acidic about them?
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Definition
They are composed of:
§ Unbranched hydrocarbon chain (hydrophobic), fatty part
§ Ionizable carboxyl group (acidic part) |
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Term
Why do triacylglycerols make such a good form of energy storage? |
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Definition
They are better than carbohydrates and proteins because they are less oxidized, therefore yielding more energy on oxidation. Triacylglycerols are also stored in an anhydrous form, whereas carbohydrates are stored with water. |
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Term
Do you expect to find fatty acids or lipid hormones free in the blood? Why? |
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Definition
| No, since they are hydrophobic, they can only be carried by Albumen |
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Term
Describe the lipid bilayer membrane. Name the three classes of lipids of which it is composed. |
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Definition
Composed of two layers of phospholipids; the polar head is exposed and the lipid tails are pointing inward.
The three classes of lipids found in the bilayer are:
§ Glycerophospholipids
§ Sphingolipids
§ Steroids |
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Term
| What is the mechanism of aspirin action |
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Definition
Aspirin inhibits the “cyclic pathway” of prostaglandin synthesis. As a result, it can alleviate inflammation, pain, fever, etc., which are processes mediated by prostaglandins. |
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Term
| There are no binding proteins that chaperone eicosanoids through the circulation. How do they accomplish their function despite this? |
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Definition
They do not pass through the aqueous environment and don’t circulate in the blood because they act on adjacent cells. (LOCALLY) |
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Term
What is the importance of the phosphate group in a phospholipid? |
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Definition
The phosphate group is the hydrophilic end that points to the outside of the cell membrane. |
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Term
| name the four roles of steroids in humans |
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Definition
- membrane
- digestion
- signaling
- Vitamin D
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Term
| What two cell types that we discussed in class have significant glycosphingolipids in their plasma membrane? |
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Definition
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