What is a glycolipid or glycosphingolipid?
sphingolipid with a sugar head group
what’s the difference between cerebrosides and globosides?
both are sphingolipids, but cerebrosides have 1 sugar and globosides have two or more sugars
since the head groups are sugars, they have no net charge - ie. neutral glycolipids
What are gangliosides?
a glycosphingolipid but with a NANA/sialic acid on the head group
these are very large (gangly) and complex
what type of membrane lipid is a sphingomyelin, and what types of cell’s membranes are they common in?
sphingomyelin is a sphingophospholipid
sphingomyelin is common in myelin producing cells (oligodendrocytes and schwann cells)
what type of lipid on a RBC membrane indicates blood type?
sphingolipid
A single terpene contains how units of which chemical moiety?
a single terpene contains two isoprene units
terpenes and terpenoids form what type of signalling lipid?
steroids
a steroid is defined by how many cycloalkane rings fused together?
4 cycloalkane rings fused together
3 cyclohexanes, 1 cyclopentase
bile acid, vitamin D, and steroid hormones are derivatives of what lipid?
cholesterol, a steroid
what signalling lipid regulates the synthesis of cAMP? structurally, it is derived from arachidonic acid, has 20 carbons, and has a 5-carbon ring
prostoglandins
what are four lipid soluble vitamins?
ADEK
Vitamin A is important for what function?
vision; retinal is a derivative of Vitamin A
carrots –> carotene (aka. Vitamin A)
Vitamin D is important for what function?
bone growth and calcium regulation; Vitamin D is added in milk to increase calcium (and phosphate) absorption in intestines
can be formed by UV light driven reaction
Vitamin E is important for what function?
antioxidant
Vitamin K is important for what function?
coagulation; necessary for prothrombin formation
also creates calcium binding sites in proteins
what are fatty acids better for energy storage than sugars? (3 reasons)
- more energy dense: when oxidized fatty acids yield more energy since they are more reduced than carbs
- not water soluble so weigh less: carbs require hydration for stability and therefore weigh more
- insulation
what is saponification?
formation of soaps
specifically, it is the ester hydrolysis of triacylglycerols into glycerol and salt fatty acids using a strong base
