About Lesson
Structural lipids in membranes
- Double layer of lipids acts as a barrier to the passage of polar molecules and ions.
- Membrane lipids are amphipathic in nature. i.e. one end is hydrophobic and other is hydrophilic.
5 general types of membrane lipids
- Glycerophospholipids:
- Hydrophobic region are composed of two fatty acids joined to glycerol.
- Galactolipids and sulfolipids:
- Contain two fatty acids esterified to glycerol.
- Archaebacterial tetraether lipid:
- Two very long alkyl chains are either linked to glycerol at both ends.
- Sphingolipids:
- Single fatty acids is joined to a fatty amino sphingosine.
- Sterols:
- Rigid system of four fused hydrocarbon rings.
Classification of Membrane lipid
a) Phospholipid : Glycerophospholipid and Sphingolipid ( Site of biological recognition)
b) Glycolipid: Sphingolipid and Galactolipid.
c) Archaebacterial ether lipid
