Lipid | Definition, Structure, Examples, Functions, Types, & Facts ...
Sep 20, 2024 · A lipid is any of various organic compounds that are insoluble in water. They include fats, waxes, oils, hormones, and certain components of membranes and function as energy-storage molecules and chemical messengers. Together with proteins and carbohydrates, lipids are one of the principal structural components of living cells.
Fatty acid | Definition, Structure, Functions, Properties, & Examples ...
Sep 2, 2024 · Fatty acid, important component of lipids in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Generally, a fatty acid consists of a straight chain of an even number of carbon atoms, with hydrogen atoms along the length of the chain and at one end of the chain and a carboxyl group (—COOH) at the other end.
Lipid - Waxes, Fatty Acids, Esters | Britannica
Sep 20, 2024 · Lipid - Waxes, Fatty Acids, Esters: A second group of neutral lipids that are of physiological importance, though they are a minor component of biological systems, are waxes. Essentially, waxes consist of a long-chain fatty acid linked through an …
Biochemistry | Definition, History, Examples, Importance, & Facts ...
Oct 14, 2024 · Biochemistry is the study of the chemical substances and processes that occur in plants, animals, and microorganisms and of the changes they undergo during development and life.
Lipid - Fats, Oils, Phospholipids | Britannica
Sep 20, 2024 · Lipid - Fats, Oils, Phospholipids: There are four major classes of circulating lipoproteins, each with its own characteristic protein and lipid composition. They are chylomicrons, very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and …
Cell Membrane, Lipid Bilayer & Fatty Acids - Britannica
Oct 11, 2024 · Phospholipid, any member of a large class of fatlike, phosphorus-containing substances that play important structural and metabolic roles in living cells. The phospholipids, with the sphingolipids, the glycolipids, and the lipoproteins, are called complex lipids, as distinguished from the simple.
biochemistry summary | Britannica
It involves the quantitative determination and structural analysis of the organic compounds that make up cells (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids) and of those that play key roles in chemical reactions vital to life (e.g., nucleic acids, vitamins, and hormones).
Biomolecule | Definition, Structure, Functions, Examples, & Facts ...
4 days ago · biomolecule, any of numerous substances that are produced by cells and living organisms. Biomolecules have a wide range of sizes and structures and perform a vast array of functions. The four major types of biomolecules are carbohydrates, lipids, …
Carbohydrate | Definition, Classification, & Examples | Britannica
Sep 10, 2024 · A carbohydrate is a naturally occurring compound, or a derivative of such a compound, with the general chemical formula C, made up of molecules (O). Carbohydrates are the most widespread organic substances and play a vital role in all life.
Understanding lipids and their characteristics | Britannica
One of the three large classes of substances in foods and living cells, lipids contain more than twice as much energy (calories) per unit of weight as the other two (proteins and carbohydrates).