Facts about Lipid
Single-tailed amphipathic lipids form a small sphere called a micelle (pictured at left), while two-tailed phospholipids form lipid bilayers, which create a hollow sphere that encloses a separate aqueous compartment.
Individual responsibility also plays a role, as overconsumption of certain lipids, such as cholesterol and trans fatty acids, may be risk factors for cardiovascular disease and other circulatory diseases.
The former, called phosphoglycerides (or glycerophospholipids) consist of a glycerol backbone, two fatty acid chains, and a phosphorylated alcohol.
Phospholipids are the major constituents of biological membranes, such as the cell's plasma membrane and the intracellular membranes of organelles.
Cholesterol is a sterol lipid (a combination steroid and alcohol) with the chemical formula C27H45OH.
The presence or absence of lipids, or a disruption of lipid metabolic enzymes and pathways, can significantly impact the state of health of an individual.
The term "lipid" is really a catch-all phrase for a wide variety of hydrocarbon-based molecules of biological origin.
Despite the controversy surrounding certain lipids (particularly fats and cholesterol), many lipids are essential for life, playing a number of important roles in nutrition and health.
Lipids encompass a huge range of structures, which can be aromatic or aliphatic (with or without a benzene ring), acyclic (open-chain) or cyclic (ringed), straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, flexible or rigid.
Along with proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates, lipids are one of the major classes of biologically important molecules (or biomolecules).
1. (biochem) any of a large group of organic compounds that are esters of fatty acids ( simple lipids, such as fats and waxes) or closely related substances ( compound lipids, such as phospholipids): usually insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol and other organic solvents.
A complete cholesterol test — also called a lipid panel or lipid profile — is a blood test that can measure the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. ... High cholesterol levels often are a significant risk factor for heart disease.Dec 29, 2017
In biology, a lipid is a substance of biological origin that is soluble in nonpolar solvents. It comprises a group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E, and K), monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides, and phospholipids.
Steroids are lipids because they are hydrophobic and insoluble in water, but they do not resemble lipids since they have a structure composed of four fused rings. Cholesterol is the most common steroid and is the precursor to vitamin D, testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, aldosterone, cortisol, and bile salts.