{"id":41117,"date":"2023-11-16T22:12:22","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T16:27:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/"},"modified":"2023-11-19T21:49:59","modified_gmt":"2023-11-19T16:04:59","slug":"lipids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/","title":{"rendered":"Lipids: Properties, Structure, Classification, Types, Functions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Lipids are a group of diverse macromolecules consisting of fatty acids and their derivatives that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-476\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Lipids-and-Fatty-Acids.jpeg\" alt=\"Lipids and Fatty Acids\" class=\"wp-image-476\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Created with BioRender.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lipids consist of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">fats<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">oils<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,&nbsp;<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hormones<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and certain components of membranes that are grouped together because of their hydrophobic interactions.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lipids are essential constituents of the diet because of their high energy value.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are also essential for the fat-soluble vitamins and the essential fatty acids found with the fat of the natural foodstuffs.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fats combined with <a href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/amino-acids-proteins\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">proteins<\/a> (lipoproteins) are essential constituents of the cell membranes and <a href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/mitochondria\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mitochondria<\/a> of the cell.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lipids occur naturally in living beings like plants, animals, and microorganisms that form various components like cell membranes, hormones, and energy storage molecules.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lipids exist in either liquid or non-crystalline solids at room temperatures and are colorless, odorless, and tasteless.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are composed of fatty acids and glycerol.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0a0a0a;color:#0a0a0a\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#properties-of-lipids\" title=\"Properties of Lipids\">Properties of Lipids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#structure-of-lipids\" title=\"Structure of Lipids\">Structure of Lipids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#classification-of-lipids\" title=\"Classification of Lipids\">Classification of Lipids<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#1-simple-lipids\" title=\"1. Simple lipids\">1. Simple lipids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#2-compound-lipids\" title=\"2. Compound lipids\">2. Compound lipids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#3-derived-lipids\" title=\"3. Derived lipids:\">3. Derived lipids:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#alcohols-and-esters\" title=\"Alcohols and Esters\">Alcohols and Esters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#triglycerides\" title=\"Triglycerides\">Triglycerides<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#structure-of-triglycerides\" title=\"Structure of Triglycerides\">Structure of Triglycerides<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#functions-of-triglycerides\" title=\"Functions of Triglycerides\">Functions of Triglycerides<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#what-are-fatty-acids\" title=\"What are Fatty acids?\">What are Fatty acids?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#saturated-and-unsaturated-fatty-acids\" title=\"Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty acids\">Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty acids<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#1-saturated-fatty-acids\" title=\"1. Saturated fatty acids\">1. Saturated fatty acids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#2-unsaturated-fatty-acids\" title=\"2. Unsaturated fatty acids\">2. Unsaturated fatty acids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#read-also-20-differences-between-saturated-and-unsaturated-fatty-acids\" title=\"Read Also: 20 Differences Between Saturated and Unsaturated fatty acids\">Read Also: 20 Differences Between Saturated and Unsaturated fatty acids<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#glycerol-and-the-formation-of-ester-bonds\" title=\"Glycerol and the formation of ester bonds\">Glycerol and the formation of ester bonds<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#phospholipids\" title=\"Phospholipids\">Phospholipids<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#1-hydrophilic-polar-phosphate-heads\" title=\"1. Hydrophilic (polar) phosphate heads\">1. Hydrophilic (polar) phosphate heads<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#2-hydrophobic-non-polar-fatty-acid-tails\" title=\"2. Hydrophobic (non-polar) fatty acid tails\">2. Hydrophobic (non-polar) fatty acid tails<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#sterols-cholesterol\" title=\"Sterols (Cholesterol)\">Sterols (Cholesterol)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#functions-of-lipids\" title=\"Functions of Lipids\">Functions of Lipids<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/#references-and-sources\" title=\"References and Sources\">References and Sources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"properties-of-lipids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Properties of Lipids<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lipids may be either liquids or non-crystalline solids at room temperature.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Pure fats and oils are colorless, odorless, and tasteless.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They are energy-rich organic molecules<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Insoluble in water<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Soluble in organic solvents like alcohol, chloroform, acetone, benzene, etc.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">No ionic charges<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Solid triglycerols (Fats) have high proportions of saturated fatty acids.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Liquid triglycerols (Oils) have high proportions of unsaturated fatty acids.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1. Hydrolysis of triglycerols<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Triglycerols like any other esters react with water to form their carboxylic acid and alcohol\u2013 a process known as hydrolysis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2. Saponification:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Triacylglycerols may be hydrolyzed by several procedures, the most common of which utilizes alkali or enzymes called lipa\u00adses. Alkaline hydrolysis is termed saponifica\u00adtion because one of the products of the hydrolysis is a soap, generally sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>3. Hydrogenation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The carbon-carbon double bonds in unsaturated fatty acids can be hydrogenated by reacting with hydrogen to produce saturated fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>4. Halogenation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unsaturated fatty acids, whether they are free or combined as esters in fats and oils, react with halogens by addition at the double bond(s). The reaction results in the decolorization of the halogen solu\u00adtion.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>5. Rancidity:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The term rancid is applied to any fat or oil that develops a disagreeable odor. Hydrolysis and oxidation reactions are responsible for causing rancidity. Oxidative rancidity occurs in triacylglycerols containing unsaturated fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"structure-of-lipids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Structure of Lipids<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lipids are made of the elements&nbsp;Carbon,&nbsp;Hydrogen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Oxygen, but have a much lower proportion of water than other molecules such as <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/carbohydrates-structure-properties-classification-and-functions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">carbohydrates<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unlike polysaccharides and proteins, lipids are not polymers\u2014they lack a repea\u00adting monomeric unit.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They are made from two molecules:&nbsp;<strong>Glycerol&nbsp;and&nbsp;Fatty Acids.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A glycerol molecule is made up of three carbon atoms with a hydroxyl group attached to it and hydrogen atoms occupying the remaining positions.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Fatty acids consist of an&nbsp;acid group&nbsp;at one end of the molecule and a hydrocarbon chain, which is usually denoted by the letter &#8216;R&#8217;.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They may be&nbsp;<strong>saturated&nbsp;or&nbsp;unsaturated<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A fatty acid is saturated if every possible bond is made with a Hydrogen atom, such that there exist no C=C bonds.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Unsaturated fatty acids, on the other hand, do contain C=C bonds. Monounsaturated fatty acids have one C=C bond, and polyunsaturated have more than one C=C bond.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"classification-of-lipids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Classification of Lipids<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lipids can be classified according to their hydrolysis products and according to similarities in their molecular structures. Three major subclasses are recognized:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-simple-lipids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>1. Simple lipids<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(a) <strong>Fats and oils<\/strong> which yield fatty acids and glycerol upon hydrolysis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(b) <strong>Waxes<\/strong>, which yield fatty acids and long-chain alcohols upon hydrolysis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Fats and Oils <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Both types of com\u00adpounds are called triacylglycerols because they are esters composed of three fatty acids joined to glycerol, trihydroxy alcohol.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The difference is on the basis of their physical states at room temperature. It is customary to call a lipid a fat if it is solid at 25\u00b0C, and oil if it is a liquid at the same temperature.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">These differences in melting points reflect diffe\u00adrences in the degree of unsaturation of the constituent fatty acids.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Waxes<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Wax is an ester of long-chain alcohol (usually mono-hydroxy) and a fatty acid.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The acids and alcohols normally found in waxes have chains of the order of 12-34 carbon atoms in length.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-compound-lipids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>2. Compound lipids<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(a) <strong>Phospholipids<\/strong>, which yield fatty acids, glycerol, amino alcohol sphingosine, phosphoric acid and nitrogen-containing alcohol upon hydrolysis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They may be <strong>glycerophospholipids<\/strong> or <strong>sphingophospholipid<\/strong> depending upon the alcohol group present (glycerol or sphingosine).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">(b) <strong>Glycolipids<\/strong>, which yield fatty acids, sphingosine or glycerol, and a carbo\u00adhydrate upon hydrolysis.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">They may also be <strong>glyceroglycolipids<\/strong> or <strong>sphingoglycolipid<\/strong> depending upon the alcohol group present (glycerol or sphingosine).<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-derived-lipids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>3. Derived lipids:<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Hydrolysis product of simple and compound lipids is called derived lipids. They include fatty acid, glycerol, sphingosine and steroid derivatives.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Steroid derivatives are phenanthrene structures that are quite different from lipids made up of fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"alcohols-and-esters\"><\/span><b>Alcohols and Esters<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-471\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Alcohols-and-Esters.jpeg\" alt=\"Alcohols and Esters\" class=\"wp-image-471\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Created with BioRender.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important and frequently occurring alcohol found in lipids is glycerol. Glycerol is a small organic molecule consisting of three hydroxyls (OH-) groups.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glycerol makes up simple lipids which are esters of fatty acids and glycerol and similar alcohols.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The alcohol might be glycerol or other long-chain alcohol. The long-chain alcohols are mostly mono-hydroxy with a single OH group.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the alcohol used, simple lipids consist of fats, oil, or waxes. Fats and oils are esters of fatty acids and glycerol, whereas waxes are esters of fatty acids and long-chain alcohols.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The esters of fatty acids are formed after the dehydration reaction between the fatty acids and the alcohol molecules.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"triglycerides\"><\/span><b>Triglycerides<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Triglycerides are a type of lipid which is an ester of three fatty acids with glycerol. <\/span>Triglycerides are the main constituents of body fat in humans, other vertebrates, and vegetable fats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"structure-of-triglycerides\"><\/span><b>Structure of Triglycerides<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Triglycerides are tri-esters where three fatty acid molecules are bound to a single glycerol molecule by covalent ester bonds.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reaction<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HOCH<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CH(OH)CH<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OH + RCO<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">H + R\u2032CO<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">H + R\u2033CO<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">H \u2192 RCO<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CH<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CH(O<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CR\u2032)CH<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CO<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">R\u2033 + 3H<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">O<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The three fatty acids involved in the condensation reaction are usually different, and their chain length also differs from one another.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In naturally occurring triglycerides, the fatty acid chains mostly contain 16, 18, or 20 carbon atoms.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even-numbered carbon atoms present in animals and plants indicating the pathway of their biosynthesis from two-carbon acetyl CoA.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simple triglycerides might also have identical fatty acids forming homotriglycerides.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The charges in triglycerides are evenly distributed around the molecules, which prevents the formation of hydrogen bonds with water molecules, making them insoluble in water.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-470\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Triglycerides.jpeg\" alt=\"Triglycerides\" class=\"wp-image-470\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Created with BioRender.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"functions-of-triglycerides\"><\/span><b>Functions of Triglycerides<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Triglycerides are important macromolecules as they store most of the energy in the body.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are stored in fat cells which are then released into the bloodstream by the action of different hormones whenever necessary.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fat stored in the body forms a layer of insulation beneath the skin, which helps to maintain the body temperature.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Triglycerides also aid in the absorption and transport of fat-soluble vitamins in the body.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-are-fatty-acids\"><\/span><b>What are Fatty acids?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatty acids are organic molecules that are long-chained carboxylic acids with 4-36 carbon atoms.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydrocarbon chains are either saturated or unsaturated, depending on the bonds between the carbon atoms. If all the carbon-carbon bonds are single, the acid is saturated; if one or more carbon-carbon double bonds are present, the acid is unsaturated.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Naturally occurring fatty acids are mostly unbranched, and these occur in three main classes of lipids; triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesteryl esters.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatty acids are not found in the free state but remain associated with alcohol to form triglycerides.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatty acids are stored as an energy reserve (fat) through an ester linkage to glycerol to form triglycerides.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone wp-image-472 size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Saturated-and-Unsaturated-Fatty-acids.jpeg\" alt=\"Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty acids\" class=\"wp-image-472\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Created with BioRender.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"saturated-and-unsaturated-fatty-acids\"><\/span><b>Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty acids<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-saturated-fatty-acids\"><\/span><b>1. Saturated fatty acids<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saturated fatty acids are the simplest form of fats that are unbranched linear chains of CH<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> groups linked together by carbon-carbon single bonds with a terminal carboxylic acid.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term \u2018saturated\u2019 is used to indicate that the maximum number of hydrogen atoms are bonded to each carbon atom in a molecule of fat.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The general formula for these acids is C<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">H2<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">n<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">+1COOH.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatty acids obtained from an animal source are mostly even-numbered linear chains of saturated fatty acids.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Saturated fatty acids usually have a higher melting point than their counterparts which is why saturated fatty acids remain in the solid-state at room temperatures.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are mostly solid and are found in animal fat like butter, meat, and whole milk. But some saturated fatty acids are also found in vegetable sources like vegetable oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-unsaturated-fatty-acids\"><\/span><b>2. Unsaturated fatty acids<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsaturated fatty acids are more complex fatty acids with bent hydrocarbon chains linked together by one or more carbon-carbon double bonds with a terminal carboxylic acids group.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The term \u2018unsaturated\u2019 indicates that the carbons atoms do not have the maximum possible hydrogen atoms bound to carbon atoms.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to the presence of double bonds, the cis and trans conformation of these molecules are important. The unsaturated fatty acids found in the human body exist in the cis conformation<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsaturated fatty acids have a lower melting point as compared to saturated fatty acids, and thus they exist in the liquid state at room temperatures<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most vegetable oils and fish oils are some of the important sources of unsaturated fatty acids.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"read-also-20-differences-between-saturated-and-unsaturated-fatty-acids\"><\/span><strong>Read Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/saturated-vs-unsaturated-fatty-acids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">20 Differences Between Saturated and Unsaturated fatty acids<\/a><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"glycerol-and-the-formation-of-ester-bonds\"><\/span><b>Glycerol and the formation of ester bonds<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Glycerol.jpg\" alt=\"Glycerol\" class=\"wp-image-473\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Image Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Glycerol\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Glycerol is a simple organic compound in three hydroxyl groups that is a colorless, odorless, and viscous liquid.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It forms the backbone of many lipids that are termed glycerides. The fat is later hydrolyzed into fatty acids and glycerol where the fatty acid provides energy to the body, whereas the glycerol is converted into glucose.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The reaction involved in the formation of ester bonds is termed as condensation reaction where the free hydroxyl end of the glycerol molecule joins to the OH of the COOH group of the fatty acid.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process of condensation is termed esterification due to the formation of ester bonds between the two molecules.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The lipid molecules formed from three fatty acids and a single glycerol molecule are termed as triacylglycerols or triglycerides.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"phospholipids\"><\/span><b>Phospholipids<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A phospholipid is an organic molecule consisting of fatty acids, a phosphate group, and a glycerol group that forms the main component of various cellular membranes.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phospholipid bilayer forms an important part of the cell membrane for the selective transport of molecules in and out of the cell.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The phosphate group forms the hydrophilic head, whereas the fatty acids form the hydrophobic tails. The head and tail regions in phospholipids are joined by a glycerol molecule.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydrophobic and hydrophilic interaction between different molecules and the lipid bilayer enables the passage of biomolecules. These interactions make the cell membrane amphipathic.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-hydrophilic-polar-phosphate-heads\"><\/span><b>1. Hydrophilic (polar) phosphate heads<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydrophilic head or water-loving part of the phospholipids contains a negatively charged phosphate group with an unidentified alkyl group.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydrophilic region might or might not be polar or charged.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The heads of the phospholipid membrane face outwards that remain in interaction with the aqueous solution inside and outside the cell.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As water is a polar molecule, the hydrophilic head immediately forms electrostatic interaction with the water molecule.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignnone size-full wp-image-474\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Phospholipids.jpeg\" alt=\"Phospholipids\" class=\"wp-image-474\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Created with BioRender.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-hydrophobic-non-polar-fatty-acid-tails\"><\/span><b>2. Hydrophobic (non-polar) fatty acid tails<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydrophobic part of the phospholipid bilayer is also termed the water-fearing portion that consists of long non-polar fatty acid tails.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These tails easily interact with other hydrophobic molecules but do not interact with water molecules.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tail region is a non-polar end where charge-less molecules are present.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydrophobic tails are thus tucked towards the interior of the membrane in order to shield the tails from the surrounding water. This arrangement is also energetically favorable.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&nbsp;The hydrophobic interactions form a good barrier between the inside and outside of the cell as water, and other charge molecules cannot easily cross the hydrophobic core of the membrane.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"sterols-cholesterol\"><\/span><b>Sterols (Cholesterol)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Sterols-Cholesterol.jpeg\" alt=\"Sterols (Cholesterol)\" class=\"wp-image-475\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sterols are a type of lipids composed of steroid alcohols occurring naturally in plants, animals, fungi, and several bacteria.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important and familiar type of sterol is cholesterol which plays an essential role in cell membrane structure and functions.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cholesterol acts as a precursor to fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D and hormones.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cholesterol is formed of four linked hydrocarbon rings forming the bulk of the steroid structure. One end of cholesterol consists of a hydrocarbon tail, whereas the other end is linked to an alcohol group.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hydroxyl group joins with other hydroxyl groups or carbonyl oxygen of phospholipids.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cholesterol can be biosynthesized within the body of various animals. In humans, the liver makes up 100% of all cholesterol required for the body.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cholesterol is considered essential for the regulation of membrane fluidity in animals. It also increases the permeability of the cell membrane to sodium and potassium ions.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, if the concentration of cholesterol increases beyond normal, it might combine with other components in the blood and form plaque. The plaque might attach to the walls of arteries and veins, resulting in coronary artery disease.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"functions-of-lipids\"><\/span><b>Functions of Lipids<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biological lipids are a chemically diverse group of compounds, and the biological functions of the lipids are as diverse as their chemistry.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the body, fats serve as an efficient source of energy and are also stored in the adipose tissues. These also serve as an insulating material in the subcutaneous tissues and around certain organs.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phospholipids and sterols are major structural elements of biological membranes.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, fats combined with proteins (lipoproteins) are important constituents of the cell membranes and mitochondria of the cell.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lipids also act as the structural component of the cell and provide the hydrophobic barrier that allows the separation of the aqueous contents of the cell and subcellular structures.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other lipids, although present in relatively small quantities, play crucial roles as enzyme cofactors, electron carriers, light-absorbing pigments, and hydrophobic anchors for proteins.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cholesterol acts as a precursor to fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D and hormones.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lipids are also <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">activators of enzymes like glucose-6-phosphatase, \u03b2-hydroxybutyric dehydrogenase, and stearyl CoA desaturase.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"references-and-sources\"><\/span><b>References and Sources<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Jain JL, Jain S, and Jain N (2005). Fundamentals of Biochemistry. S. Chand and Company.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nelson DL and Cox MM. Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. Fourth Edition.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Berg JM et al. (2012) Biochemistry. Seventh Edition. W. H Freeman and Company.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Biologydictionary.net Editors. (2016, November 08). Phospholipid. Retrieved from https:\/\/biologydictionary.net\/phospholipid\/<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Smith, C. M., Marks, A. D., Lieberman, M. A., Marks, D. B., &amp; Marks, D. B. (2005).&nbsp;Marks&#8217; basic medical biochemistry: A clinical approach. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams &amp; Wilkins.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3% &#8211; http:\/\/ndl.ethernet.edu.et\/bitstream\/123456789\/78706\/12\/Chap-12.pdf<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2% &#8211; http:\/\/fac.ksu.edu.sa\/sites\/default\/files\/4-bch302_lipids_i_0.pdf<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/science\/lipid<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/noahstrength.com\/health\/three-kinds-of-triglycerides\/<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/letslearnplants.blogspot.com\/<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/ibiologia.com\/phospholipid-bilayer\/<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/hyperleap.com\/topic\/Cholesterol<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/chem.libretexts.org\/Bookshelves\/Organic_Chemistry\/Map%3A_Organic_Chemistry_(McMurry)\/27%3A_Biomolecules_-_Lipids\/27.03%3A_Waxes_Fats_and_Oils<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; https:\/\/biologydictionary.net\/hydrophilic\/<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1% &#8211; http:\/\/www.bioinfo.org.cn\/book\/biochemistry\/chapt09\/sim1.htm<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lipids are a group of diverse macromolecules consisting of fatty acids and their derivatives that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents. Properties of Lipids 1. Hydrolysis of &#8230; <a title=\"Lipids: Properties, Structure, Classification, Types, Functions\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/lipids\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Lipids: Properties, Structure, Classification, Types, Functions\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":41110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1553],"tags":[4974,1925,1924,1912,1919,6312,1926],"custom":{"td_video":"","featured_image":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Lipids-and-Fatty-Acids.jpeg","author":{"name":"Anupama Sapkota","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0e9c86afc1670c49efeb260138ec905b?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"categories":[{"term_id":1553,"name":"Biochemistry","slug":"biochemistry","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1553,"taxonomy":"category","description":"<strong>Biochemistry is a branch of science that deals with the structure, composition, and metabolism of biomolecules found in different living organisms.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Biochemistry is also termed \u2018biological chemistry\u2019 as it deals with the chemistry of life that utilizes techniques from analytical, inorganic, and organic chemistry.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Metabolic processes in living beings are composed of catabolic and anabolic processes. Both of these processes involve metabolic reactions involving biochemical compounds.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemistry is also used in techniques that help to understand the interactions, metabolism, and functions of biomolecules.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Important biomolecules like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acid, vitamins, etc. are essential structural and physiological components of living organisms.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The study of the biochemical composition of living beings is important as it helps to understand the molecular mechanisms of various biochemical phenomena like respiration, photosynthesis, fermentation, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The findings of these studies, in turn, can be applied in industries, nutrition, medicine, and agriculture for different purposes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The rate of biochemical reactions, enzymes, and the concentration of substrates and products give essential information about the organism.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemical reactions form the basis of biochemical testing that is used for the identification and differentiation of microorganisms into different groups.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Results of studies involving different biochemical tests can be applied for the production of pharmaceutical products that selectively inhibit certain metabolic processes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Techniques in biochemistry have been increasingly combined with techniques from other fields like agriculture, genetic, molecular biology, and biophysics.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemistry also allows the understanding of nutritional requirements for different living organisms.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemical compounds have been increasingly used even for the diagnosis of different diseases like diabetes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The determination of the genetic composition of living beings is also a part of biochemistry which helps in genetic studies and diagnosis of genetic diseases.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemical analysis of different biomolecules assists in the study relating to the origin and evolution of living beings.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>An understanding of different biochemical processes helps to understand the complexity of different groups of living beings and their relationship with one another.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","parent":0,"count":157,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1553,"category_count":157,"category_description":"<strong>Biochemistry is a branch of science that deals with the structure, composition, and metabolism of biomolecules found in different living organisms.<\/strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Biochemistry is also termed \u2018biological chemistry\u2019 as it deals with the chemistry of life that utilizes techniques from analytical, inorganic, and organic chemistry.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Metabolic processes in living beings are composed of catabolic and anabolic processes. Both of these processes involve metabolic reactions involving biochemical compounds.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemistry is also used in techniques that help to understand the interactions, metabolism, and functions of biomolecules.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Important biomolecules like proteins, carbohydrates, fats, nucleic acid, vitamins, etc. are essential structural and physiological components of living organisms.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The study of the biochemical composition of living beings is important as it helps to understand the molecular mechanisms of various biochemical phenomena like respiration, photosynthesis, fermentation, etc.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The findings of these studies, in turn, can be applied in industries, nutrition, medicine, and agriculture for different purposes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The rate of biochemical reactions, enzymes, and the concentration of substrates and products give essential information about the organism.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemical reactions form the basis of biochemical testing that is used for the identification and differentiation of microorganisms into different groups.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Results of studies involving different biochemical tests can be applied for the production of pharmaceutical products that selectively inhibit certain metabolic processes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Techniques in biochemistry have been increasingly combined with techniques from other fields like agriculture, genetic, molecular biology, and biophysics.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemistry also allows the understanding of nutritional requirements for different living organisms.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemical compounds have been increasingly used even for the diagnosis of different diseases like diabetes.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The determination of the genetic composition of living beings is also a part of biochemistry which helps in genetic studies and diagnosis of genetic diseases.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Biochemical analysis of different biomolecules assists in the study relating to the origin and evolution of living beings.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>An understanding of different biochemical processes helps to understand the complexity of different groups of living beings and their relationship with one another.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","cat_name":"Biochemistry","category_nicename":"biochemistry","category_parent":0}]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41117"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41117\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/microbenotes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}