[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]The Biochemistry of Movement > 9.7.3. Fats are also important fuels for cells > Fatty Acids Are Stored as Esters of Glycerol >[/cs_text][cs_text style=”color: #800000;font-family: “Oxygen”,sans-serif;”]Explain that fatty acids are stored as esters of glycerol [triacylglycerol (TAGs)] and account for the hydrophobic nature of these esters[/cs_text][cs_text]
- Fatty acids are stored as triacylglycerol, also known as triglycerides.
- Triglycerides are esters of glycerol and are a main component of body fat and skin oils. They have a glycerol head with three fatty acid tails attached.
- There are saturated (straight tails) and unsaturated (bent tails) triglycerides. Saturated fats have a higher melting point and tend to be solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats have a lower melting point and are usually liquid at room temperature.
- Esters are considered hydrophobic because the long hydrophobic carbon chains dominate the behaviour of the molecule. This means they can be stored without water for long periods of time.
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