Glycobiology, Lipids & Metabolic Disorders

Structural Diversity of Lipids and its role in membranes

Lipids are a diverse and ubiquitous group of compounds which have many key biological functions, such as acting as structural components of cell membranes, serving as energy storage sources and participating in cell signaling pathways. Lipids may be broadly defined small molecules that originate entirely or in part from two distinct as hydrophobic or amphipathic types of biochemical subunits or "building blocks": ketoacyl and isoprene groups. The huge structural diversity found in lipids arises from the biosynthesis of various combinations of these building blocks.