what are the three general types of lipids?
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Lipids perform three primary biological functions within the body: they serve as structural components of cell membranes, function as energy storehouses, and function as important signaling molecules. The three main types of lipids are triacylglycerols (also called triglycerides), phospholipids, and sterols.
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Fats and oils A fat molecule consists of two kinds of parts: a glycerol backbone and three fatty acid tails. Glycerol is a small organic molecule with three hydroxyl (OH) groups, while a fatty acid consists of a long hydrocarbon chain attached to a carboxyl group.
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Fats (fatty acids) fall into two main groups – saturated and unsaturated – based on their chemistry. There are three major classes of unsaturated fatty acids: omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9. The omega-6s and omega-3s are essential. The omega-9s are non-essential because the body can make them from other fatty acids.
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Monoglycerides are a type of glyceride. They are made up of glycerol and one fatty acid chain. Triglycerides are very similar, except they have three fatty acid chains. Triglycerides convert temporarily into monoglycerides and diglycerides during digestion.
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['Energy Storage. One of the main functions lipids do is storing energy. ... ', 'Cell structures. Lipids are present in every cell of the human body and are the main part of the cellular membrane. ... ', 'Hormones. ... ', 'Digestion. ... ', 'Insulation and Protection.']
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['Fats and oils. A fat molecule consists of two kinds of parts: a glycerol backbone and three fatty acid tails. ... ', 'Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. As shown in the example above, the three fatty acid tails of a triglyceride need not be identical to each other. ... ', 'Waxes. ... ', 'Phospholipids.']
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Triglycerides. Neutral fats (triglycerides) are composed of fatty acid hydrocarbon chains bonded to a single glycerol molecule. Fatty acids consist of long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group while glycerol consists of 3 carbons and 3 hydroxyl groups.
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Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that have numerous health benefits. However, not all omega-3s are created equal. Among 11 types, the 3 most important are ALA, EPA, and DHA. ALA is mostly found in plants, while EPA and DHA are mostly found in animal foods like fatty fish.
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Lipids that contain an ester functional group are hydrolysable in water. These include neutral fats, waxes, phospholipids, and glycolipids. Fats and oils are composed of triglycerides, made up of glycerol (1,2,3-trihydroxypropane) and 3 fatty acids to form a triester.
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['carbohydrates.', 'lipids.', 'proteins.', 'nucleic acids.']
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Phospholipids are similar to triglycerides, but they do vary slightly in form and function. While triglycerides have glycerol and three fatty acids, phospholipids have glycerol, two fatty acids and a phosphate. Phosphates are molecules with charges and have oxygen and phosphorus.
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Lipids: Another word for "fats." (Please see the various meanings of Fat.) Lipids can be more formally defined as substances such as a fat, oil or wax that dissolves in alcohol but not in water. Lipids contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen but have far less oxygen proportionally than carbohydrates.
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All fats are derivatives of fatty acids and glycerol. Most fats are glycerides, particularly triglycerides (triesters of glycerol).
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Triglycerides can be found in oils and fats from plants and animals. Phospholipids are the main components of the cell membrane and are composed of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group. Steroids function as hormones and are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, arranged in rings.
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Since fats consist of three fatty acids and a glycerol, they are also called triacylglycerols or triglycerides. Triacylglycerols: Triacylglycerol is formed by the joining of three fatty acids to a glycerol backbone in a dehydration reaction. Three molecules of water are released in the process.
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Phospholipids. The membrane bilayer contains many kinds of phospholipid molecules, with different sized head and tail molecules. These consist of a head molecule, a phosphate molecule, a glycerol and two fatty acid chains.
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Fats, a subgroup of lipids, are also known as triglycerides, meaning their molecules are made from one molecule of glycerol and three fatty acids. Fats in the body serve mainly as an energy storage system.