300936 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Lipid Droplet, Cyclopentane, Myelin
Document Summary
Functional proteins and genes: in mammals, major site for triacylglycerol storage is adipose tissue. Each adipocyte contains large lipid droplet in which triacylglycerols are housed. Three common types: phospholipids- composed of four components: fatty acids, a platform, a phosphate and an alcohol. 2 common platforms- glycerol (phosphoglycerides) and sphingosine (sphingolipids). Sphingomyelin is a common membrane sphingolipid and is especially common in myelin sheath of nerve cells: glycolipids, cholesterol- steroids built on tetracyclic platform, consisting of three cyclohexane rings and a cyclopentane ring fused together. Most common steroid and plays a role in maintaining membrane fluidity. Amino acids: proteins- working agents in cell. Only l isomers found in proteins: most a-amino acids are chiral. All amino acids contain an amino group which can be a proton donor, in the context of solution ph: ionisable side chains enhance reactivity and bonding. 5/20 amino acids have ionisable side chains arg, lys, his, asp, glu (tyr and cys may also ionise).