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9.2: The Cell- Lipids

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    French Translation √ by Anna Chekovsky

    Diagram of the cell, showing organelles.
    Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): A Eukaryotic Cell

    http://torresbioclan.pbworks.com/w/page/22377234/Spikefish%20About%20Cells

    Use with permission from Liliana Torres . Also at www.animalport.com/animal-cells.html

    Lipids are small biological molecules which are soluble in organic solvents, such as chloroform/methanol, and are sparingly soluble in aqueous solutions. The simple classification of lipids belies the complexity of possible lipid structures as over 1000 different lipids are found in eukaryotic cells. This complexity has led to the development of a comprehensive classification system for lipids. In this system, lipids are given a very detailed as well as all-encompassing definition: "hydrophobic or amphipathic small molecules that may originate entirely or in part by carbanion-based condensations of thioesters (fatty acyl, glycerolipids, glycerophospholipids, sphingolipds, saccharolipds and polyketides) and/or by carbocation-based condensations of isoprene units (prenol lipids and sterol lipids)."

    The following site will show you the "life" history of lipids in cells.

    The sites linked above are written and maintained by Henry V. Jakubowski, Ph.D., College of Saint Benedict / Saint John's University. These materials are available for educational use.

    Send corrections to hjakubowski@csbsju.edu

    This page titled 9.2: The Cell- Lipids is shared under a CC BY-NC 3.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Chris Schaller via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.