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In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. [ 1 ]
Glucose is a sugar with the molecular formula C 6 H 12 O 6. Glucose is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, [4] a subcategory of carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide, using energy from sunlight.
Although the term "lipid" is sometimes used as a synonym for fats, fats are a subgroup of lipids called triglycerides. Lipids also encompass molecules such as fatty acids and their derivatives (including tri-, di-, monoglycerides, and phospholipids), as well as other sterol -containing metabolites such as cholesterol. [6]
Cholesterol is the principal sterol of all higher animals, distributed in body tissues, especially the brain and spinal cord, and in animal fats and oils. [3] [4] Cholesterol is biosynthesized by all animal cells and is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes. In vertebrates, hepatic cells typically produce the greatest amounts.
An omega−3 fatty acid is a fatty acid with multiple double bonds, where the first double bond is between the third and fourth carbon atoms from the end of the carbon atom chain. "Short-chain" omega−3 fatty acids have a chain of 18 carbon atoms or less, while "long-chain" omega−3 fatty acids have a chain of 20 or more.
Stearic acid (/ ˈstɪərɪk / STEER-ik, / stiˈærɪk / stee-ARR-ik) is a saturated fatty acid with an 18-carbon chain. [9] The IUPAC name is octadecanoic acid. [9] It is a soft waxy solid with the formula CH3(CH2)16CO2H. [9] The triglyceride derived from three molecules of stearic acid is called stearin. [9]
Polysaccharide. 3D structure of cellulose, a beta-glucan polysaccharide. Amylose is a linear polymer of glucose mainly linked with α (1→4) bonds. It can be made of several thousands of glucose units. It is one of the two components of starch, the other being amylopectin. Polysaccharides (/ ˌpɒliˈsækəraɪd /), or polycarbohydrates, are ...
Oligosaccharide. An oligosaccharide (/ ˌɒlɪɡoʊˈsækəˌraɪd /; [1] from Ancient Greek ὀλίγος (olígos) 'few' and σάκχαρ (sákkhar) 'sugar') is a saccharide polymer containing a small number (typically three to ten [2][3][4][5]) of monosaccharides (simple sugars). Oligosaccharides can have many functions including cell ...