Membrane Structure Tutorials

Lipids' cells are separated into two environments, one is called the hydrophilic aqueous cytoplasm and the hydrophobic lipid membranes. The characteristics by their hydrophobic nature and their common metabolic origin, is what defines the family of molecules in the lipid environment. Fats (triacylglcerol), phospholipids, and steroids, are some members of the lipid family. The molecules in lipids are long, 16- 18 carbon, hydrocarbon backbones with very few oxygen, this makes them hydrophobic. Fats, steroids, and phospholipids are very important to making the membranes in the cells work. Fatty acids atach to the alcohol gycerol. Fatty acids are usually, 16-22 carbons long. Saturated fatty acids have no bonds of carbon while unsaturated fatty acids have 1-3 double bonds along the backbone carbon chain. "Kinks" is introduced in double bonds, in carbon chains, they  carry important danger on the fluid nature of lipids membranes. Unsaturated fatty acids have lower melting points. Since unsaturated fatty acids introduce kinks in the hydrocarbon backbone, unsaturated fatty acids won't pack into normal structure (why fluid remains at lower temperature). Insulating molecules and energy storage is what fats mainly are. Energy is contained twice as much in fats than in carbohydrates. Fats are around animal  vital organs which cushions them, layers of fat underneath the animal's skin create insulation. Condensation reactions causes phospholipds with only two fatty acids attached to a glyerol head.