Phospholipid
Amphiphilic lipids forming cell membranes and supporting brain health.
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Phospholipids are a class of lipids with a hydrophilic phosphate-containing head and two hydrophobic fatty-acid tails, joined by an alcohol residue such as glycerol.[1] All cell membranes contain phospholipids as an essential structural element, and their amphiphilic property enables the creation of lipid bilayers.[2]
Quick Facts
- First identified in
- egg yolk of chickens
- First identified by
- Theodore Nicolas Gobley
- Known for
- Key component of cell membranes
- role in brain function
- and use in nanotechnology
Facts from the source article.
Key facts and history
This often results in a phospholipid bilayer, with heads exposed to liquid on both sides and tails directed inward.[3] That bilayer is the dominant structural motif of all cell membranes and some other biological structures like vesicles.[3] Phospholipid synthesis occurs on the cytosolic side of the ER membrane, studded with proteins that act in synthesis and allocation.[4] At one end of a phospholipid, a negatively charged phosphate group is typically found, while the opposite end is made up of two lengthy fatty acid chains.[5]
When placed in water, the fatty acid tails are pushed together by hydrophobic forces, reducing their contact with the surrounding liquid.[3] Two-dimensional fluidity and resistance to rupture are both provided when phospholipids and sterols are present together.[2] The phospholipid molecule in marine sources commonly incorporates the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.[6] Simple organic compounds such as choline, ethanolamine, or serine can be attached to the phosphate group.[6]
References
- Wikipedia, "Phospholipid" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Phospholipid", Encyclopedia Britannica (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Phospholipid" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Lipid Nanotechnology", Int. J. Mol. Sci., 2013, p. 4242–4282 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Phospholipid" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Lenard, "The membrane structure of lipid-containing viruses", Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Reviews on Biomembranes, 1974-04-08, p. 51–94; Posor, "Phosphoinositides as membrane organizers", Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology, Dec 2022, p. 797–816 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Phospholipid" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Prinz, "Phosphatidylserine synthesis at membrane contact sites promotes its transport out of the ER", Journal of Lipid Research, 2017-03-01, p. 553–562 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Phospholipid" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Alberts, "The Lipid Bilayer", Molecular Biology of the Cell. 4th edition, 2002 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Phospholipid" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Burri, "Marine Omega-3 Phospholipids: Metabolism and Biological Activities", International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2012, p. 15401–15419 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Phospholipid (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Phospholipid (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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