Lipid metabolism

Lipid metabolism is the synthesis and degradation of lipids in cells.

Lipid metabolism is the break down or storage of fats for energy; these fats are obtained from consuming food and absorbing them or they are synthesized by an animal's liver.[1] Lipid metabolism does exist in plants, though the processes differ in some ways when compared to animals.[2] Lipogenesis is the process of synthesizing these fats.[3][4] Lipid metabolism often begins with hydrolysis,[5][6] which occurs when a chemical breaks down as a reaction to coming in contact with water.[3] Since lipids (fats) are hydrophobic, hydrolysis in lipid metabolism occurs in the cytoplasm which ends up creating glycerol and fatty acids.[3][4] Due to the hydrophobic nature of lipids they require special transport proteins known as lipoproteins, which are hydrophilic.[1] Lipoproteins are categorized by their density levels.[1] The varying densities between the types of lipoproteins are characteristic to what type of fats they transport.[1] A number of these lipoproteins are synthesized in the liver, but not all of them originate from this organ.[1]

Lipid Metabolism Disorders are illnesses where trouble occurs in breaking down or synthesizing fats (or fat-like substances)[7]. A good deal of the time these disorders are hereditary, meaning it's a condition that is passed along from parent to child through their genes.[7] Gaucher's Disease (Type I, Type II, and Type III), Neimann-Pick Disease, Tay-sachs Disease, and Fabry's Disease are all diseases where those afflicted can have a disorder of their body's lipid metabolism.[8] Rarer diseases concerning a disorder of the lipid metabolism are Sitosterolemia, Wolman's Disease, Refsum's Disease, and Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis.[8]

The types of lipids involved in Lipid Metabolism include:

External links

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Overview of Lipid Metabolism". Merck Manuals Professional Edition. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  2. ↑ "Reviewed Work: Plant Lipid Biochemistry.". The New Phytologist. 71. May 1972.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hydrolysis - Chemistry Encyclopedia - structure, reaction, water, proteins, examples, salt, molecule". www.chemistryexplained.com. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  4. 1 2 Freifelder, David (1987). Molecular Biology, 2nd edition. Boston: Jones and Bartlett.
  5. ↑ "Lipid Metabolism Summary". chemistry.elmhurst.edu. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  6. ↑ Ophardt, Charles (2003). "Virtual Chembook Elmhurst College". http://chemistry.elmhurst.edu/vchembook/622overview.html. External link in |website= (help)
  7. 1 2 "Lipid Metabolism Disorders: MedlinePlus". Retrieved 2016-11-20.
  8. 1 2 "Disorders of Lipid Metabolism". Merck Manuals Consumer Version. Retrieved 2016-11-20.


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