BIO 361 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit Ii, Prostacyclin, Cyclooxygenase
10 Jul 2016
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Document Summary
There are only so many molecules of the beta-unsaturated fatty acyl that can be packed into the membrane, or in the case of the lungs, the alveolar lining (alveolar facing surface of the lungs). The distinction is that whereas biological membranes are capable of having kinked fatty acids and allow for the fact that concentration is limited by packing, the alveolar lining has an important function to prevent lung collapse upon exhalation. The alveolar lining has surfactant that has primarily dipalmitoyl, which has no kinks in the fatty acid side chains and high density of packed fatty acids in phospholipids. The more molecules of surfactants you pack, the greater the capacity to reduce surface tension. In the lungs, the pneumocyte, or alveolar cells, has the capacity to remove the unsaturated oleic acid from the beta position to reduce with more saturated palmitic acid in a remodeling process.
