Lipids and the Cell Membrane Chapter 6
Lipid Structure Three Types of Lipids: Phospholipids: cell membrane Steroids: signaling molecules called hormones Fats: mixture of three fatty acid chains and one glycerol molecule Which is easier to transport in the bloodstream? Why? Steroid Structure
The Structure of Membrane Lipids Membrane-forming lipids contain both a polar, hydrophilic region and a nonpolar, hydrophobic region. Phospholipids structure: The “head” region, consisting of a glycerol, a phosphate, and a charged group, contains highly polar covalent bonds. The “tail” region is comprised of two nonpolar fatty acid or isoprene chains.