Related Words

Lipids: All fats and fatty acids.

Phospholipids: Asymmetrical lipid molecules with a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. Lipids with a phosphate group in place of one of the three fatty acid chains. Phospholipids are the building bloc . . . View Full Definition

Glycolipids: Polysaccharides formed of sugars linked to lipids, a part of the cell membrane.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL): A protein made in the liver which is responsible for transporting cholesterol and other lipids from the body.

Phospholipid: An ester of glycerol with two fatty acids and phosphoric acid (H3PO4) or a derivative of phosphoric acid group (like H2PO4CH2CH2N(CH3)3). Phospholipids have a hydrophilic head (the phosphate . . . View Full Definition

Phospholipid Bilayer: In an aqueous environment phospholipids can form a two-layered 'sandwich' with the hydrophobic lipid tails on the inside and the hydrophilic phosphate heads facing outward. These bilayers ar . . . View Full Definition

Macromolecules: Large molecules made up of many small organic molecules that are often referred to as monomers; e.g., carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Macromolecules are polymers of monomers.

Fluid-Mosaic: Widely accepted model of the plasma membrane in which proteins (the mosaic) are embedded in lipids (the fiuid).

Fat: Often referred to as lipids, or triglycerides, one of the main food groups, containing nine calories per gram. It serves a variety of functions in the body, however a high percentage of body . . . View Full Definition

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER): A network of membranous tubules in the cytoplasm of a cell; involved in the production of phospholipids, proteins, and other functions. Rough ER is studded with ribosomes; smooth ER is not.