Archive | Lipids

Lipids are a chemically heterogeneous collection of molecules that are only sparingly soluble in water but are highly soluble in non-polar, organic solvents such as acetone, benzene, chloroform, and ether. It is because of their similar solubility properties that they are usually placed together in one category. Like the carbohydrates, lipids serve two major roles in cells and tissues: (1) [...]

1. Neutral Fats: The neutral fats, triglycerides, or triacylglycerols are esters of glycerol and three fatty acids and have the general formula shown in Figure 6-2. In this for­mula, n, n', and n" may be the same number or differ­ent numbers. Usually, the fatty acid that is esterified to the first carbon atom of glycerol (i.e., the top car­bon in [...]