Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Biochemistry
Lipids
Dietary purposes
Storage
Emergency fuel
Organ protection
Insulation
Cell membranes
Conversion to other compounds
Function
Nature
Neutral
Polar
Polar
Neutral
Substrate
Enzyme/Acid
Product
Medium-chain
triglycerides (mainly)
Medium-chain
triglycerides (mainly)
Triglycerides
Emulsified triglycerides
Lingual lipase
Smaller-chain-triglycerides
Gastric lipase
Smaller-chain triglycerides
Bile acids
Pancreatic lipase
(Formed
spontaneously)
Emulsified triglycerides
Free fatty acids and
monoglycerides
Micelles
Matt Schiller
Page 1 of 7
Biochemistry
Lipoproteins
Lipoprotein Structure
Core
Surface
Nature
Neutral
Contents Triglyceride
Polar
Apoproteins (provide structure)
Cholesteryl esters Phospholipids (emulsifiers)
Free cholesterol
Endogenous
Exogenous
(dietary)
Description
Chylomicron
Major lipid
content
Dietary
triglyceride
Dierary
cholesterol
Endogenous
triglyceride
Endogenous
cholesterol
Endogenous
cholesterol
Cholesterol
Lipoprotein classes
Lipoprotein metabolism
Matt Schiller
Page 2 of 7
Biochemistry
Hypercholesterolaemia
LDL receptors in liver perform LDL uptake and maintain blood cholesterol levels.
If LDL receptors are defective (e.g. genetic defect), hypercholesterolaemia occurs.
Saturated fats lead to a decrease in LDL receptor numbers.
Low HDL compounds the risk of high LDL.
LDL-HDL ratio is a good indicator of heart disease risk (better than total cholesterol).
HDL Levels
Raises Lowers
Alcohol
Exercise
Obesity
Diabetes
Smoking
Oestrogen
Androgens/ Progesterone
Dietary Saturated Fat
Dietary Polyunsaturated Fat
LDL Levels
Raises Lowers
Reducation
HMG-CoA
Reductase
Biosynthesis
Mevalonate
Uptake
LDL Receptor
Cholesterol
Negative
Feedback
Negative
Feedback
Page 3 of 7
Biochemistry
LDL and Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation
If LDL concentrations exceed clearing ability of liver, then likelihood of cholesterol
deposition in artery walls is increased.
LDL undergoes a modifications that allows it to be taken up by cells of the vascular
wall in an uncontrolled fashion.
Modified LDL is taken up by macophages, which then become foam cells (hallmark of
early atherosclerosis).
Foam Cell
Lipid Droplets
HDL
Other steps
Liver
Matt Schiller
Page 4 of 7
Biochemistry
Oxidative Stress
Reactive Oxygen Species
Electron structure of oxygen favours reduction in single electron steps:
Slows direct combination of oxygen with organic compounds.
Allows cells to oxidise fuels and gain energy in a slow controlled manner.
Results in generation of reactive oxygen species.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) oxygen metabolites produced by one-electron
reduction, being intermediates between molecular oxygen and water.
Oxidative stress the accumulation of ROS due to production occurring at a faster rate
than removal by cellular defence mechanisms.
Ischaemia and reperfusion injury are associated with free-radical injury.
Factors that increase ROS formation include radiation, inflammation, ageing, high
oxygen concentrations, air pollutants, and certain chemicals and drugs.
Matt Schiller
Page 5 of 7
Biochemistry
Lipid Peroxide Chain Reaction
Causes damage to cell membranes (affecting permeability) via a chain reaction:
Polyunsatyurated lipid (LH) reacts with superoxide to produce lipid radical (L).
L reacts with oxygen to produce lipid peroxy-radical (LOO).
LOO reacts with another LH to produce lipid peroxide and regerate L.
Process repeats, allowing one free radical to convert a large amount of LH to
LOOH.
Spontaneous degradation of LOOH occurs due to its instability, forming
malondialdehyde and other compounds.
Termination of chain reaction occurs when L and LOO react (uncommon).
Lipid peroxide chain reaction (left), termination of reaction (middle) and degradation of
LOOH (right)
Cellular ROS Damage
Matt Schiller
Page 6 of 7
Biochemistry
Ischaemia and Reperfusion Injury
Reperfusion injury where damage to ischaemic tissue increases when blood supply is
restored, believed to result from ROS formation when oxygen is restored to hypoxic
cells.
Damage from reperfusion injury can be greater than that from preceding ischaemia.
Ischaemia
Reperfusion
Mechanism
Primary/Secondary
antioxidant
Vitamin antioxidants
Matt Schiller
Vitamin E
(tocopherols)
Vitamin C (ascorbate)
Carotenoids
Acts as a free-radical
scavenger in aqueous
environments
Secondary (other
function)
Page 7 of 7