Like phospholipids, cholesterol is present in all body cells as it is an important substance in cell membrane structure.Much lower yield than most of the other side pathways we'll talk aboutĪcetyl-CoA is the link between glycolysis and fatty acidsīranch point is at citrate-citrate is leaving mitochondria via citrate shuttle for cytoplasm where it: However, cholesterol also has many essential functions in the body. It forms a large part of the fatty plaques that narrow arteries and obstruct blood flow in atherosclerosis. They are complex molecules that contain interlinking rings of carbon atoms, with side chains of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen attached.Ĭholesterol is the best-known sterol because of its role in heart disease. Most sterols do not contain any fatty acids but rather are multi-ring structures, similar to chicken wire. Sterols have a very different structure from triglycerides and phospholipids. Emulsifiers also play an important role in making food appetizing their inclusion in foods like sauces and creams makes for a smoother texture and prevents the oil and water ingredients from separating out. Lecithin-a phospholipid found in egg yolk, soybean, and wheat germ-is often used as a food emulsifier. Because of their ability to mix with both water and fat, phospholipids are ideal emulsifiers that can keep oil and water mixed, dispersing tiny oil droplets throughout the water. Without an emulsifier, the oil and water separate out into two layers. Emulsions are mixtures of two liquids that do not normally mix (oil and water, for example). The polar heads contact the fluid inside and outside of the cell.(Copyright author via source)Īnother important role of phospholipids is to act as emulsifiers.
The hydrophobic tails associate with one another, forming the interior of the membrane. \): The phospholipid bilayer consists of two adjacent sheets of phospholipids, arranged tail to tail.
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