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What Are the Polymers of Lipids?

Lipids are organic molecules that are considered "hydrophobic" because their hydrogen and carbon covalent bonds are non-polarized, which pushes them away from the polarized water molecules. This same property makes them insoluble in water. Lipids are further classified into four different categories of polymers: fats, steroids, phospholipids and waxes.

  1. Fats and Oils

    • Glycerol and triglycerides are the two types of molecules from which fats and oils are made. Saturated fats are most commonly found in animal products, and the hydrocarbon chains are straight and densely packed together. It is this molecular structure that make fats solid at room temperature.

      Unsaturated fats (oils) are usually refined from plants and feature a bent molecular structure that is characteristic of the presence of double bonds. This makes the structure loosely packed and is the reason why oils are liquid at room temperature.

    Steroids

    • Although they are treated as a separate group, steroids are actually metabolic byproducts of terpenes. They have a tetracyclic structure that aids in their identification. These naturally occurring lipids are linked to many physiological processes when found in the animal kingdom. Because of the wide range of properties associated with natural steroids, scientists began synthesizing various types of steroids, which are used in a variety applications in medicine today.

    Phospholipids

    • The combination of hydrocarbons and phosphate groups found in phospholipids make them water soluble. The cell membranes in our bodies have what is known as the lipid bilayer. This double-layered structure is made up mostly of phospholipids arranged with molecular "tails" facing toward the nucleus, while the "heads" face outward.

    Waxes

    • Waxes occur naturally in a variety of ways throughout nature. They are insoluble, which makes them ideal for tasks like protecting against water logging in animals that spend time in the water or dehydration in plants. These esters of fatty acids have long chain monohydric alcohols and may also contain hydrocarbons.

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