LIPIDS

LIPID STRUCTURE
“Lipids are organic compounds that contain Lipids are the polymers of fatty acids
hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen atoms, which that contain a long, non-polar hydrocarbon
form the framework for the structure and chain with a small polar region containing
function of living cells.” oxygen. The lipid structure is explained in the
diagram below:
WHAT ARE LIPIDS?
These organic compounds are
nonpolar molecules, which are soluble only in
nonpolar solvents and insoluble in water
because water is a polar molecule. In the
human body, these molecules can
be synthesized in the liver and are found in oil,
butter, whole milk, cheese, fried food and also
in some red meats.

CLASSIFICATION OF LIPIDS
Lipids can be classified into two main classes:

Nonsaponifiable lipids - cannot be

disintegrated into smaller molecules through
hydrolysis. Nonsaponifiable lipids include
cholesterol, prostaglandins, etc.

Saponifiable lipids - comprises one or more

PROPERTIES OF LIPIDS ester groups, enabling it to undergo
1. Lipids are oily or greasy nonpolar hydrolysis in the presence of a base, acid,
molecules, stored in the adipose or enzymes, including waxes,
tissue of the body. triglycerides, sphingolipids and phospholipids.
2. Lipids are a heterogeneous group of
compounds, mainly composed of
hydrocarbon chains. CLASSIFICATION OF LIPIDS
3. Lipids are energy-rich organic
molecules, which provide energy for
Further, these categories can be divided into
different life processes.
non-polar and polar lipids.
4. Lipids are a class of compounds
characterized by their solubility in
Nonpolar lipids, namely triglycerides, are
nonpolar solvents and insolubility in
utilized as fuel and to store energy.
water.
5. Lipids are significant in biological
Polar lipids, that could form a barrier with an
systems as they form a mechanical
external water environment, are utilized in
barrier dividing a cell from the external
membranes. Polar lipids comprise
environment known as the
sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids.
cell membrane.
Fatty acids are pivotal components of all these
lipids.
 • Saturated fatty acids
TYPES OF LIPIDS Lack of carbon-carbon double
Simple Lipids bonds indicate that the fatty acid is
Esters of fatty acids with various alcohols. saturated. The saturated fatty acids have
1. Fats: Esters of fatty acids with glycerol. higher melting points compared to
Oils are fats in the liquid state unsaturated acids of the corresponding
2. Waxes: Esters of fatty acids with higher size due to their ability to pack their
molecular weight monohydric alcohols molecules together thus leading to a
straight rod-like shape.

TYPES OF LIPIDS • Unsaturated fatty acids

Complex Lipids
Esters of fatty acids containing groups in Unsaturated fatty acid is indicated
addition to alcohol and fatty acid. when a fatty acid has more than one double
1. Phospholipids: These are lipids bond.
containing, in addition to fatty acids “Often, naturally occurring fatty acids
and alcohol, phosphate group. They possesses an even number of carbon atoms
frequently have nitrogen-containing and are unbranched.”
bases and other substituents, eg, in On the other hand, unsaturated fatty
glycerophospholipids the alcohol is acids contain a cis-double bond(s) which
glycerol and in sphingophospholipids create a structural kink that disables them to
the alcohol is sphingosine. group their molecules in straight rod-like
2. Glycolipids (glycosphingolipids): Lipids shape.
containing a fatty acid, sphingosine and
carbohydrate.
ROLE OF FATS
3. Other complex lipids: Lipids such as
sulfolipids and amino lipids. Fats play several major roles in our body. Some
Lipoproteins may also be placed in this of the important roles of fats are mentioned
category. below:
• Fats in the correct amounts are
necessary for the proper functioning of
TYPES OF LIPIDS
our body.
Precursor and Derived Lipids • Many fat-soluble vitamins need to be
These include fatty acids, glycerol, associated with fats in order to be
steroids, other alcohols, fatty aldehydes, and effectively absorbed by the body.
ketone bodies, hydrocarbons, lipid-soluble • They also provide insulation to the
vitamins, and hormones. Because they are body.
uncharged, acylglycerols (glycerides),
• They are an efficient way to store
cholesterol, and cholesteryl esters are termed
energy for longer periods.
neutral lipids. These compounds are produced
by the hydrolysis of simple and complex lipids.
Some of the different types of lipids are EXAMPLE OF LIPIDS
described below in detail. Waxes
Waxes are “esters” (an organic
compound made by replacing the hydrogen
TYPES OF LIPIDS
with acid by an alkyl or another organic group)
Fatty Acids
formed from long-alcohols and long-chain
Fatty acids are carboxylic acids (or
carboxylic acids.
organic acid), usually with long aliphatic tails
Waxes are found almost everywhere.
(long chains), either unsaturated or saturated.
The fruits and leaves of many plants possess
waxy coatings, that can safeguard them from synthesized in the liver.
small predators and dehydration.
CHOLESTEROL
PHOSPOLIPIDS • These compounds are biosynthesized
by all living cells and are essential for
the structural component of the cell
membrane.
• In the cell membrane, the steroid ring
structure of cholesterol provides a rigid
hydrophobic structure that helps boost
the rigidity of the cell membrane.
Without cholesterol, the cell
membrane would be too fluid

PHOSPOLIPIDS CHOLESTEROL
• Membranes are primarily composed of • It is an important component of cell
phospholipids that are membranes and is also the basis for the
Phosphoacylglycerols. synthesis of other steroids, including
the sex hormones estradiol and
• Triacylglycerols and testosterone, as well as other steroids
phosphoacylglycerols are the same, such as cortisone and vitamin D.
but, the terminal OH group of the
phosphoacylglycerol is esterified with TEST FOR FATS
phosphoric acid in place of fatty acid What is a lipid panel?
which results in the formation of
A lipid panel is a blood test that measures the
phosphatidic acid.
amount of certain fat molecules called lipids in
your blood. In most cases, the panel includes
STEROIDS four different cholesterol measurements and
Steroids are a kind of hormone that is a measurement of your triglycerides.
typically recognized by their tetracyclic
skeleton, composed of three fused six- TEST FOR FATS
membered and one five-membered ring, as
The following are the tests to identify the
seen above. The four rings are assigned as A,
presence of fats and oils.
B, C & D as observed in the shade blue, while
the numbers in red indicate the carbons.
• Solubility test
• Translucent spot test
CHOLESTEROL • Baudouin test
• Cholesterol is a wax-like substance,
found only in animal source
SOLUBILITY TEST
foods. Triglycerides, LDL, HDL, VLDL
Fats are soluble in organic solvents like
are different types of cholesterol
chloroform, alcohol, etc. It is insoluble in
found in the blood cells.
water. So, if the given sample forms an oily
• Cholesterol is an important lipid found
layer above the surface of the water, then fat
in the cell membrane. It is a sterol,
is present. Partially soluble in alcohol and fully
which means that cholesterol is a
soluble in chloroform than the presence of fat
combination of steroid and alcohol. In
is confirmed.
the human body, cholesterol is
Note: If the sample is miscible with chloroform
and immiscible with water then, the fat
presence is confirmed.

TRANSLUCENT SPOT TEST

In this, test the given sample to be
tested is rubbed between the folds of filter
paper. The appearance of translucent spot
confirms the presence of fats in the given
sample.

Note: If there is a presence of translucent spot

then the presence of fats is confirmed.

BAUDOUIN TEST
Baudouin test is applied to distinguish
between desi ghee and vanaspati ghee.
Vanaspati ghee contains 5% sesame oil. Pure
ghee does not contain sesame oil. Fats and oils
are treated with 5ml of concentrated
hydrochloric acid and 2% furfural solution in
alcohol. After 5-10 minutes rose-red colour
appearance shows the presence of sesame oil
in the given sample.

Note: This test is used to find out whether the

given sample of desi ghee contains vanaspati
or not.

METABOLISM OF FATS
Synthesis of fat requires glycerol-3-
phosphate (or DHAP) and three fatty acids. In
the first reaction, glycerol-3-phosphate is
esterified at position 1 with a fatty acid,
followed by a duplicate reaction at position 2
to make phosphatidic acid. This molecule,
which is an intermediate in the synthesis of
both fats and phosphoglycerides, gets
dephosphorylated to form diacylglycerol
before the third esterification to make a fat.

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