What is

Today’s Lesson
About?
What is the role of phospholipids in the structure
of the cell ?
 11.1C Molecular Biology 

Topic:
Structural components of lipids. Properties and
functions of lipids.
(LW) P, DCP, DEC Compare the solubility of fats in
various solvents

LO:
11.4.1.2 describe the chemical structure and functions
of phospholipids;
 Terminology
KAZ RUS ENG

Липид Липид Lipid

Фосфолипид Фосфолипид Phospholipid

Гидрофильді Гидрофильный Hydrophilic

Гидрофобты Гидрофобный Hydrophobic

Еритін Растворимый Soluble

Ерімейтін Нерастворимый Insoluble

Қос қабатты Двухслойная Bilayer

Оқшаулау Изолировать Insulate (to)

Май қышқылдары Жирные кислоты Fatty acids
 About lipids
• Made up of C, H and O
• Can exist as fats, oils and waxes
• They are insoluble in water
• They are a good source of energy (38kJ/g)
• They are poor conductors of heat
• Most fats & oils are triglycerides
Watch the video and answer questions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH_LgL12k1g&t=94s
Check!
 Phospholipids
• These are very similar to triglycerides except that one of
the fatty acids is replaced with a phosphate group
• Made of glycerol 'backbone', 2 fatty acids and 1
phosphate group
 Phospholipids
• Structure:
– glycerol + 2 fatty acids + PO4
• PO4 = negatively charged

It’s just like a

penguin…
A head at one end
& a tail
at the other!
Phospholipids
• Hydrophobic or hydrophilic?
– fatty acid tails = hydrophobic
– PO4 head =hydrophillic
– split “personality” “attracted to water”

Come here,
No, go away!
Come here,
No, go away!

interaction with H2O

is complex & very “repelled by water”
important!
 Fatty acid chains are hydrophobic: no electrical charge ---> not
attracted to H2O molecules.
 Phosphate group is hydrophilic: has electrical charge --->
attracted to H2O molecules.
 In H2O, phospholipid molecules arranges into a bilayer:
hydrophilic heads facing outwards into the water +
hydrophobic tails facing inwards, avoiding water.
 This is the basic structure of a cell membrane.
 Phospholipids in water
• Hydrophilic heads “attracted” to H2O
• Hydrophobic tails “hide” from H2O
– can self-assemble into “bubbles”
• bubble = “micelle”
• can also form a phospholipid bilayer
• early evolutionary stage of cell?
water

bilayer

water
 Quiz

https://study.com/academy/practice/quiz-worksheet-phospholipid-
structure-function.html
https://www.web-books.com/MoBio/Free/Ch1B2.htm
 What do you know about these substances?

• Make 5 sentences that start with the word “lipid(s)”

 Classification of lipids

Lipids

Triglycerides Phospholipids Steroids Waxes

Investigate some properties of lipids
Fill out the diagram

Functions of lipids
 Let us check

Functions of lipids

Source of Building a Source of

Insulation
energy structure water

Precursors for vitamins

Protection
and hormones
True and False
 Functions
There are eight major functions of lipids.

Energy storage Structural Thermal insulation Mechanical

Lipids form excellent components Fat conducts heat protection e.g. of
energy storage Phospholipids slowly and therefore delicate organs, such
molecules, e.g. as usually make up the triglycerides, as kidneys.
lipid deposits in the 40% of cell which are stored as
stroma of the membranes where subcutaneous fat in
chloroplast and as their amphipathic vertebrates, are
fats in seeds and nature (having a important for
adipose tissue of polar and a non-polar maintaining
vertebrates. end) enable them to optimum
Oxidation of fats to contribute to the temperature for
release energy occurs spontaneous metabolism.
in the mitochondria. formation of the
bilayer.
 Electrical Waterproofing e.g. Buoyancy Since fat Precursors of many
insulation e.g. The waxy cuticle on is less dense than cell constituents E.g.
Sphingomyelin is a the leaf epidermis or water, fat reserves gibberellins – plant
specialised as oils on birds’ provide buoyancy for growth substances
phospholipid in the feathers. The aquatic animals. e.g. carotenes,
myelin sheet of nerve presence of waxy photosynthetic
axons. suberin in the pigments, coloration
Casparian strip of pigments, steroid
endodermal cells in hormones e.g.
plant roots forces testosterone.
water into the
symplast pathway
which is under the
control of the
nucleus.
 Quiz

https://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Biology/2/Lipids/207/quiz
 Reflection

• I used to think ... and now I know ...

• I can easily explain ...
• I can never explain ...
 Homework
• Watch the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brs2nMubr
84

• Make notes about the differences between

saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.