Lipids are crucial biomolecules in our body. Their main functions are involved in energy storage, membrane structure, and signaling. Because the fatty acid chains are dominant in the structure and are made up of primarily hydrogens and carbons, lipids are significantly nonpolar. Bond between carbons and hydrogens are nonpolar because of their relatively similar electronegativities. The most important interactions that contribute to the properties of a lipid are van der Waals forces. The simplest lipid formed by fatty acids is triacylglycerol, also known as triglyceride. It is a glycerol bonded to three fatty acid chains, and the bonds between the two are formed by dehydration between glycerol hydroxyl groups and fatty acid carboxyl groups. The fatty acid chains are virtually always different. Triacylglycerol transport and storage revolve around the liver and adipocytes, which are the tissue involved in fat metabolism. Material from the digestive system or body cells enter the liver, where biosynthesis of lipoproteins, fatty acids, and cholesterol occur. These synthesized products are then distributed to adipose cells for storage or are distributed to the body cells for energy use.
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