
Lipid | Definition, Structure, Examples, Functions, Types, & Facts ...
Dec 1, 2025 · Although biological lipids are not large macromolecular polymers (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides), many are formed by the chemical linking of several small constituent …
Lipid - Structure, Function, Types | Britannica
Dec 1, 2025 · All the lipids are amphipathic, with their hydrophilic (polar) and hydrophobic (nonpolar) portions located at separate parts of each molecule. As a result, the lipid components of membranes …
Lipid - Fats, Oils, Phospholipids | Britannica
Dec 1, 2025 · The principal lipid components are triglycerides, cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and phospholipids. The hydrophobic core of the particle is formed by the triglycerides and cholesteryl esters.
Cell - Lipids, Phospholipids, Membranes | Britannica
Dec 10, 2025 · Membrane lipids are principally of two types, phospholipids and sterols (generally cholesterol). Both types share the defining characteristic of lipids—they dissolve readily in organic …
Fat - Lipids, Triglycerides, Saturated | Britannica
Dec 2, 2025 · Although biological lipids are not large macromolecular polymers (e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides), many are formed by the chemical linking of several small constituent …
Lipid - Saturated Fatty Acids | Britannica
Dec 1, 2025 · Lipid - Saturated Fatty Acids: The simplest fatty acids are unbranched, linear chains of CH2 groups linked by carbon-carbon single bonds with one terminal carboxylic acid group. The term …
Cell membrane | Definition, Function, & Structure | Britannica
Nov 27, 2025 · The lipid bilayer is the structural basis of all cell membranes and is nearly impermeable to ions and most polar molecules. Proteins embedded in the phospholipid matrix transport many …
Fatty acid | Definition, Structure, Functions, Properties, & Examples ...
Dec 26, 2025 · A fatty acid is a component of lipids in plants, animals, and microorganisms. Generally, a fatty acid consists of a straight chain of an even number of carbon atoms, with hydrogen atoms along …
Cell Membrane, Lipid Bilayer & Fatty Acids - Britannica
Nov 14, 2025 · The lipid bilayer is the structural basis of all cell membranes and is nearly impermeable to ions and most polar molecules. Proteins embedded in the phospholipid matrix transport many …
Lipid - Waxes, Fatty Acids, Esters | Britannica
Dec 1, 2025 · Lipid - Waxes, Fatty Acids, Esters: A second group of neutral lipids that are of physiological importance, though they are a minor component of biological systems, are waxes. …