Lipid Chemistry

In this eLearning module, you will learn about Lipids. The lipids are a heterogeneous group of compounds, including fats, oils, steroids, waxes, and related compounds. Lipids are the third major type of biochemical molecule found in humans. The major functions relates to the formation of biological membranes, lipid molecules are also essential for energy storage and transport, cellular binding and recognition and other biological processes. A major role of lipid molecules is to provide the building blocks for biological membranes, including phospholipids, glycolipids, and cholesterol.

In this eLearning module, you will learn about Fatty acid. Fatty acid is an important component of lipids in plants, animals, and microorganisms. They are long-chain hydrocarbons that can be separated into four categories: saturated, mono-unsaturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fats.

In this eLearning module, you will learn about Phospholipids. A phospholipid is a type of lipid molecule that is the main component of the cell membrane. It is made up of two fatty acid tails and a phosphate group head. These two components of the phospholipids are connected with a third molecule, glycerol. Phospholipids regulate the permeability of the membrane and it is also involved in the absorption of fat from the intestine. It plays a major role in the transportation and removal of cholesterol from the cells.

In this eLearning module, you will learn about Glycolipids and sterols. Glycolipids are lipids with a carbohydrate attached by a covalent (glycosidic) bond. Glycolipids provide energy to the cells and are an essential part of cell membranes. It helps in determining the blood group of an individual.Sterols are isoprenoid-derived lipids. It has essential roles in cell structure, function, and physiology. Sterols interact with phospholipids and proteins within the membrane, thereby regulating membrane fluidity, permeability, and membrane protein functions.

In this eLearning module, you will learn about the Properties and reactions of lipids. Lipids are energy-rich organic molecules. The physical properties of lipids are they are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents like alcohol, chloroform, acetone, benzene, etc. Pure fats and oils are colorless, odorless, and tasteless. Solid triglycerols (fats) have high proportions of saturated fatty acids and liquid triglycerols (oils) have high proportions of unsaturated fatty acids. Lipid molecules of all classes undergo some degree of chemical reaction, especially in the presence of heat. Hydrolysis, hydrogenation, and oxidation are the major types of chemical reactions that occur in food lipids. Hydrolysis involves breaking the ester bond between fatty acids and glycerol releasing them into the matrix. Hydrogenation is a chemical process used to change carbon-carbon double bonds to single bonds. Lipid oxidation leads to the formation of several components causing off-flavors and reduced nutritional quality.