glycerol esters

glycerol esters

1. acylglycerols

   • mono, di, and triglycerides. simple esters of fatty acids with trihydric alcohol glycerol.
   • monoglycerides
     • one acyl group
     • metabolic intermediates
   • diglycerides
     • 2 acyl groups
     • metabolic intermediates
   • triglycerides
     • the triglycerides represent the most significant group of neutral fats.
     • they are the major storage form and transport form of fatty acids.
     • they also provide the major reserve of metabolic energy in animals
     • animal fat largely consists of esters of palmitic, stearic, palmitoleic and oleic and linoleic acids with glycerol

2. phosphoglycerides

   • these are ionic esters of glycerol, fatty acids, phosphoric acid and a base.
   • amphipathic = polar head + non polar tail
   • the parent compound is phosphatidic acid
   • its derivatives contain a polar head group joined to C3 through a phosphodiesterbond
   • the derivatives are named for their polar head group
   • examples
     • phosphatidylethanolamine (cephalin)
     • phosphatidylcholine (lacithin)
     • phosphatidylserine
     • phosphatidylinositol (a cyclic polyalcohol)
   • the fatty acid esterfied to C1 is often saturated, and the fatty acid esterfied to C2 is often unsaturated

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