Fatty Acid

Fatty Acid:

 Fatty acids are the components of two LIPID types mostly found in cells in the form of large lipids or small amounts in free form: storage fats and structural phospholipids. They consist of long hydrocarbon chains of varying length (from four to 24 carbon atoms), containing a terminal CARBONYL GROUP at one end, and they may be saturated (having only a single carbon-tocarbon
bond), or unsaturated (one or more double or triple carbon-to-carbon bonds). The number and location of double bonds also vary. More than 70 different kinds have been found in cells. Saturated fatty acids cause higher levels of blood CHOLESTEROL, since they have a regulating effect on its synthesis, but unsaturated
ones do not have that effect and nutritionally are promoted more. Some fatty acids are palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, eleostearic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, and elaidic acid. Three fatty acids linked to a glycerol molecule form FAT.