Theo Nash
Lipids are molecules that contain hydrocarbons and are a major component of the membranes of the 10 trillion cells in our bodies. They are formed in the body and have many uses in energy storage, protection, and membranes. Lipids are not defined by the presence of specific functional groups but by a physical property—solubility. Compounds isolated from body tissues are classified as lipids if they are more soluble in organic solvents than in water. Lipids include compounds that incorporate functional groups derived from amino alcohols. Amino alcohols occur largely in complex form as sphingolipids, which are phospholipids or glycolipids that contain the unsaturated amino alcohol sphingosine. Sphingolipids called gangliosides are more complex and usually contain a branched chain of three to eight monosaccharides and/or substituted sugars. Cephalins, a type of phosphoglyceride, contain the amino alcohols serine or ethanolamine. Phosphoglycerides containing choline as the amino alcohol unit are called phosphatidylcholines or lecithins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Amino alcohol group | Serine, ethanolamine, and choline |
| Phosphoglycerides containing ethanolamine | Phosphatidylethanolamines or cephalins |
| Phosphoglycerides containing choline | Phosphatidylcholines or lecithins |
| Sphingolipids | Ceramides, cerebrosides, sphingomyelin, and complex glycolipids |
| Sphingoid bases | Phytosphingosine, sphingosine |
| Other | 1-deoxy-sphinganine, 1-deoxymethyl-sphinganine |
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What You'll Learn
Amino alcohols are a component of membrane lipids
Lipids are molecules that contain hydrocarbons and are a major component of the membranes of the 10 trillion cells in our bodies. They are defined by a physical property—solubility. Lipids are important components of biological membranes. These lipids have dual characteristics: part of the molecule is hydrophilic, and part of the molecule is hydrophobic.
Cephalins contain the amino alcohols serine or ethanolamine. Lecithin is probably the most common phospholipid. It is found in egg yolks, wheat germ, and soybeans. Lecithin is extracted from soybeans for use as an emulsifying agent in foods. Lecithin is an emulsifier because it has both polar and non-polar properties, which enable it to cause the mixing of other fats and oils with water components.
Phospholipids are a class of lipids that are a major component of all cell membranes. Sphingolipids are phospholipids or glycolipids that contain the unsaturated amino alcohol sphingosine rather than glycerol. Sphingolipids called gangliosides are more complex, usually containing a branched chain of three to eight monosaccharides and/or substituted sugars. Sphingolipids are most prevalent in the outer membranes of nerve cells, although they also occur in smaller quantities in the outer membranes of most other cells.
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Sphingolipids contain the amino alcohol sphingosine
Lipids are important components of biological membranes. They have dual characteristics: part of the molecule is hydrophilic, and part of the molecule is hydrophobic. Sphingolipids are a class of lipids that play crucial roles in biological processes, such as cell signalling and maintaining the integrity of cell membranes. They are characterised by their unique structure, which is based on the presence of an amino alcohol called sphingosine as their backbone.
Sphingosine is an 18-carbon amino alcohol with a unique structure that includes a hydroxyl group and an amino group. It is composed of an 18-carbon chain with two double bonds, an amino group, and a hydroxyl group. This structure distinguishes sphingolipids from other lipid classes, such as glycerophospholipids, which have a glycerol backbone. Sphingolipids are derived from the aliphatic amino alcohol sphingosine and are present mainly in eukaryote membranes.
The basic molecular structure of sphingolipids is sphingosine, which has three components: a three-carbon chain with two alcohols and an amine attached, and a long hydrocarbon chain. Sphingolipids are defined by containing sphingosine or another sphingoid base as part of their structure. Sphingoid bases are long-chain amino alcohols, and sphingosine is the most common sphingoid base in sphingolipids. Sphingolipids are a wide family of lipids that share common sphingoid backbones, including (2S,3R)-2-amino-4-octadecane-1,3-diol (dihydrosphingosine) and (2S,3R,4E)-2-amino-4-octadecene-1,3-diol (sphingosine).
Sphingolipids are vital for the structure and function of cellular membranes. They are major lipid constituents of the eukaryotic plasma membrane, and without certain sphingolipids, cells and/or embryos cannot survive. Sphingolipids form lipid microdomains or rafts on the cell surface, where activation of several specific signalling cascades occurs. Sphingolipids also play a role in cell recognition and communication processes, such as blood group antigens.
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Cephalins contain the amino alcohols serine or ethanolamine
Lipids are a major component of the membranes of the 10 trillion cells in our bodies. They are essential to life and serve as protective padding and insulation for vital organs. They are important components of biological membranes. These lipids have dual characteristics: part of the molecule is hydrophilic, and part of the molecule is hydrophobic.
Cephalins are phosphoglycerides that contain ethanolamine or the amino acid serine attached to the phosphate group through phosphate ester bonds. A variety of fatty acids make up the rest of the molecule. They are found in most cell membranes, particularly in brain tissues. They are also important in the blood clotting process as they are found in blood platelets.
Phosphoglycerides containing ethanolamine as the amino alcohol are called phosphatidylethanolamines or cephalins. Phosphoglycerides containing choline as the amino alcohol unit are called phosphatidylcholines or lecithins. Lecithins occur in all living organisms. Like cephalins, they are important constituents of nerve and brain tissue.
Therefore, cephalins contain the amino alcohols serine or ethanolamine.
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Lecithin contains the amino alcohol choline
Lecithin is a generic term for a group of yellow-brownish fatty substances occurring in animal and plant tissues. They are amphiphilic, attracting both water and fatty substances, and are used for smoothing food textures, emulsifying, homogenizing liquid mixtures, and repelling sticking materials. Lecithin is a mixture of fats that contain phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholine, which makes up about 25 to 35 percent of lecithin. The human body can convert phosphatidylcholine into choline, an essential amino alcohol and ammonium salt nutrient.
Choline was formerly classified as a B vitamin (vitamin B4) and is now considered an essential nutrient. Choline is required for normal bodily function and human health. While the liver can produce small amounts of choline, most of it must be obtained through diet. Choline helps convert the amino acid homocysteine to methionine, and a deficiency of choline can result in a harmful accumulation of homocysteine in the blood. Choline is also required for the process that synthesizes DNA, which is important for brain function and development.
Lecithin is found in egg yolks, wheat germ, and soybeans, and is extracted from soybeans for use as an emulsifying agent in foods. It is also used in pharmaceuticals, paints, and other industrial applications. It is well tolerated by humans and non-toxic when ingested.
Phosphoglycerides containing choline as the amino alcohol unit are called phosphatidylcholines or lecithins. Lecithins occur in all living organisms and are important constituents of nerve and brain tissue.
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Phosphoglycerides containing ethanolamine are called phosphatidylethanolamines
Phosphoglycerides are a type of lipid that incorporates functional groups derived from amino alcohols. One such functional group is ethanolamine. Phosphoglycerides containing ethanolamine as the amino alcohol are called phosphatidylethanolamines. Phosphatidylethanolamines are a class of phospholipids found in biological membranes. They are synthesized by the addition of cytidine diphosphate-ethanolamine to diglycerides, releasing cytidine monophosphate.
Phosphatidylethanolamines are found in all living cells, composing 25% of all phospholipids. They are particularly prevalent in nervous tissue, such as the white matter of the brain, nerves, neural tissue, and the spinal cord, where they make up 45% of all phospholipids. They are also found abundantly in soy or egg lecithin and are produced commercially using chromatographic separation. Phosphatidylethanolamines play a role in membrane fusion and in the disassembly of the contractile ring during cytokinesis in cell division. They are also thought to regulate membrane curvature.
Phosphatidylethanolamines are involved in several biological pathways. For example, they are a precursor for the synthesis of N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine and anandamide (N‑arachidonoylethanolamine). They also play a role in blood clotting, working with phosphatidylserine to increase the rate of thrombin formation by promoting binding to factor V and factor X, two proteins that catalyze thrombin formation.
Phosphatidylethanolamines are also known as cephalins and are a group of phospholipid compounds that includes phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl serine. They are major phosphoglycerides in animals and higher plants, where they are important constituents of membranes, especially in brain membranes.
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Frequently asked questions
The amino alcohol group in membrane lipids includes serine, ethanolamine, and choline.
Some examples of amino alcohols include phytosphingosine, 1-deoxy-sphinganine, and 1-deoxymethyl-sphinganine.
Amino alcohols are complex molecules that occur largely in complex form as sphingolipids. Sphingolipids are a type of lipid that contains sphingosine, an amino alcohol. Sphingolipids are found in cell membranes, particularly in the brain and nervous tissue.
Sphingolipids include ceramides, sphingomyelin, cerebrosides, and complex glycolipids.
Sphingolipids play a crucial role in cell-to-cell recognition and communication processes. They are also important for intracellular signalling pathways and have been linked to drought stress responses in plants.
