Lipids are organic compounds that are present in most living organisms. Alcohols and bile acids represent simple lipids, and the molecule of complex lipids includes various compounds and atoms. Lipids are essential to humans. They are present in food, found in medicines, and are actively used in various industrial sectors. Lipids are present in all cells of the human body. Derived from food, they are a source of energy.
If we turn to biology as a science, we can meet many schemes of systematization of lipids according to different characteristics, but the basis is a chemical classification. It divides them based on their structure: simple – consisting of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon; complex – in addition to the three listed molecules, they contain another atom of another substance. Simple and complex lipids are divided into subgroups (Eid et al., 2019). The proposed classification reflects not only their structure but also defines their properties. Once in the body, lipids are assimilated by the cells of internal organs and formed into other compounds. Lipids synthesized by cells are called endogenous lipids. Their structure is different, but the basis is still the same as for exogenous fats. Therefore, if lipids are deficient in the diet, a person will develop various diseases. The body cannot produce many complex lipids on its own, but it needs them badly. That’s why they have to come with food.
There are no tissues in the body that do not contain lipids. They are an integral part of every cell because, without them, they would not be able to function correctly. There are many lipids in the human body, but each tiny molecule has its function (Kao et al., 2020). Most lipids come into the body from the outside, with food. It assimilates them and produces new molecules necessary for normal functioning. The functions of lipids in our body depend on their structure and in which organ they are located. Lipids “work” in every cell for the body to exist usually.
References
Eid, S., Sas, K. M., Abcouwer, S. F., Feldman, E. L., Gardner, T. W., Pennathur, S., & Fort, P. E. (2019). New insights into the mechanisms of diabetic complications: role of lipids and lipid metabolism. Diabetologia, 62(9), 1539-1549.
Kao, Y. C., Ho, P. C., Tu, Y. K., Jou, I. M., & Tsai, K. J. (2020). Lipids and Alzheimer’s disease. International journal of molecular sciences, 21(4), 1-37.