The basic building blocks of lipids are glycerol and fatty acids. Glycerol is a three-carbon alcohol that serves as a backbone, while fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group at one end. These two components combine through esterification to form fats (triglycerides), which are the most common type of lipids involved in energy storage and insulation in living organisms
. Additionally, lipids include other types such as phospholipids, which consist of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group, and sterols like cholesterol, which are derived from different building blocks (isoprene units) but still fall under the broad category of lipids
. In summary:
- Glycerol : A three-carbon alcohol backbone.
- Fatty acids : Long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms with a terminal carboxyl group.
- These combine to form triglycerides and other lipid types.
This combination is fundamental to the structure and function of lipids in biological systems, including energy storage, membrane formation, and signaling
