Abstract

Lipids are water-insoluble hydrocarbon derivatives with many physiological functions. They are the structural components of membranes. The long chain fatty acid chains of lipids can be broken down to serve as energy fuels, as well as they play a role in intracellular signaling. The entire composition of lipid molecules in a cell constitutes its lipidome. In this chapter, we will discuss the different roles played by lipids by their chemical properties in detail.