Tag: lipids

Biological membranes are made up of lipid bilayer. These sterols affects the fluidity and rigidity of the membrane. At physiological temperature, sterols in biological membranes increase their fluidity but makes them more stronger and rigid. Environmental conditions like higher temperatures or unsaturated fatty disrupts close packing of lipids. This results in increase in the fluidity of the membrane. The membranes become more permeable to water. However, at lower temperatures, membranes become rigid. 

Cholesterol acts as precursor of Vitamin D and steroid hormones like estrogen, testesterone

In biochemistry and metabolism, beta-oxidation is the catabolic process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the cytosol in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria in eukaryotes to generate acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle, and NADH and FADH₂, which are co-enzymes used in the electron transport.

Masculinisation is a side-effect which is not commonly observed in females due to the intake of anabolic steroids. so, 'the correct option is - masculinisation'. "So, the correct answer is 'A' ".

Fatty acids are components of the phospholipids that make up the bulk of the lipid bilayers of all cellular membranes. It is synthesized by cytosolic acetyl-CoA  through carboxylation by acetyl-CoA carboxylase into malonyl CoA. This conversion occurs primarily in the liver, adipose tissue and lactating mammary glands, where the fatty acids are combined with glycerol to form triglycerides

Cholesterol helps to keep the membrane stable. This stability is maintained  as: At high temperatures, cholesterol reduces membrane fluidity by restraining the movement of phospholipids. At low temperatures, cholesterol gives solidification of the membrane because it prevents the close packing of phospholipids.

Heterotrophs can metabolize lipids by a process of hydrolysis, where water molecule is added to break down a chemical compound (lipids). 

Cholesterol content is minimum in vegetable oils as plant have ergosterol as the major sterol present in them. Cholesterol is present in animals and 20 % of total cholesterol is sythesised in liver.