Definition of Lipids
Lipids have been defined as a heterogeneous group of naturally occurring substances that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvent such as ether, chloroform, benzene, and acetone. All lipids contain phosphorus and nitrogen. Most lipids are soft solids or liquids at room temperature and are difficult to crystallize.
The major classes of lipids can be summarized as follows:
Simple Lipids (esters of fatty acids and alcohols)
-Fat and oils (esters of glycerol and fatty acids)
-Waxes (esters of long chain monohydroxy alcohols and fatty acids)
Compound Lipids (simple lipids conjugated with nonlipid molecules)
Phospholipids (esters containing phosphoric acid in place of one mole of fatty acid) -Phosphoglycerides
-Sphingolipids
-Inositol phosphatides
Glycolipids (compounds of carbohydrate fatty acids and sphingosinol)
Lipoproteins (complexes of various lipids and proteins)
Derive Lipids (product of hydrolysis of lipids)
-Fatty acids
-Alcohols
-Hydrocarbons
-Fat-soluble vitamins
Definition of Lipids
The Most Popular Post
-
Prolamins stand as distinctive proteins found exclusively in grasses, particularly cereals, encompassing a varied array of molecules such as... -
Potassium is the largest intracellular cation in the body. Ninety-eight percent is stored intracellularly. Hypokalemia, low blood potassium,...
-
Vitamin B encompasses a group of water-soluble nutrients essential for various bodily functions. Within this group are several crucial vitam... -
Selenium, a trace element discovered by Swedish chemist Berzelius in 1817, emerges as a potent yet often overlooked weapon in the fight agai...
-
Fats are solid while oils are liquid, because fats and oil molecules contain different fatty acid with different properties. Chemists call f...