Lipids Flashcards
(137 cards)
What bonds do lipids primarily contain ?
non-polar carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds
Most phospholipids contain a diglyceride, a phosphate group, and a simple organic molecule such as choline, what phospholipid is an exception to this rule ?
sphingomyelin, which is derived from sphingosine instead of glycerol
It is a steroid alcohol with 27 carbon atoms that are arranged in a tetracyclical sterane ring system, with a C-H sidechain
Cholesterol
What makes cholesterol amphipathic ?
contains a polar hydroxyl (OH) group on it’s a-ring
How much cholesterol is actually absorbed from what you gain in a day ?
30% - 60%
What is composed of the mixed micelles formed through emulsification ?
monoglycerides fatty acids conjugated bile acids. unesterified cholesterol phospholipids
What is the role of bile acids in the formation of micelles ?
it acts as a detergent
Where does cholesterol absorption occur the most ?
middle jejunum and terminal ileum of the small intestine
What electrolyte protein mediates cholesterol absorption ?
NPC1L1 (Niemann-Pick C1-like 1)
What happens when the cholesterol enters the intestinal mucosal cell ?
it is packaged with triglycerides, phospholipids, and a large protein called apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 into large lipoprotein particles called chylomicrons
What is the purpose of cholesterol esterification ?
helps reduce the cytotoxicity of excess free cholesterol
once cholesterol is esterified, it loses its free hydroxyl group and becomes much more hydrophobic
What mediates intracellular cholesterol esterification ?
acylcholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT)
What mediates intravascular cholesterol esterification ?
lecithin acyltransferase (LCAT)
How much bile acids are reabsorbed in the lower third of ileum and are returned to the liver by the enterohepatic circulation ?
90%
What happens to bile acids that enter the large intestine ?
deconjugated by bacterial enzymes to secondary bile acids
What happens when the amount of cholesterol is bile exceeds the capacity of these solubilizing agents ?
it is possible for cholesterol to precipitate and form gallstones
What is the general chemical formula for fatty acids ?
RCOOH
How many carbons are in a short chain of fatty acid ?
2 - 4
How many carbons are in a medium chain of fatty acid ?
6 - 10
How many carbons are in a long chain of fatty acid ?
12 - 26
Which fatty acid chain length is of most importance to human nutrition and metabolism ?
long chain class
Compare the double bonds of saturated, monosaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids
Saturated: have no double bonds
Monounsaturated: one double bond
Polyunsaturated: multiple double bonds
Why are unsaturated fatty acids prone to oxidation ?
the nonenzymatic reaction of oxygen with their double bonds
Why do free fatty acids primarily exist in their ionized forms ?
free fatty acid carboxyl group has pKa of approximately 4.8