Glycerophospholipid

Phosphoglycerides, also known as glycerophospholipids / Phosphoglycerolipide are acylglycerols ( glycerides ) and belong to the group of phospholipids. They are components of cell membranes in bacteria and higher organisms and which are composed as all phospholipids composed of a hydrophilic head and two hydrophobic hydrocarbon radicals.

Structure and occurrence

Phosphoglycerides are composed of glycerol esterified with two fatty acids at two of the hydroxy groups ( OH groups). At a third, terminal OH groups, a phosphate group is attached. This phosphate group is esterified with different alcohols, in turn, (X). Thus, the phosphate group forms a phosphoric acid diester. All naturally occurring phosphoglycerides have ( with the exception of some archaea ) at the sn- configuration, which determines the stereo-specific spatial arrangement of the substituents of the glycerol.

The structure of phosphoglycerides, it is also possible to conceive of a fat, in which a fatty acid is substituted by a phosphoric acid ester. Through the two fatty acid residues ( R1COO and R2COO ) and the alcohol ( X) the function and properties of the phosphoglyceride will be crucial. The alcohol may be, for example, serine, choline, inositol, or the sugar colamine. If it is an esterification with cholines, so arise lecithins ( phosphatidylcholines also ); in the esterification with serine Kephaline be formed. If the first fatty acid, a phospholipid is replaced with a long-chain aldehyde, or the enol ether with 16-20 carbon atoms, is called the resulting phosphoglycerides plasmalogens.

Is particularly high incidence of phosphoglycerides in the spinal cord (6-10 % based on the total fat content ), brain ( 3.7 to 6 % ), liver (1-5% ), heart (1-3 %) and egg yolk ( 8-10 %). In plants one finds Phosphorglyceride, in seeds and roots.

Meaning and usage

Phosphatidylinositol is part of some signal transduction pathways within the body, such as those of some hormones and continues to serve the anchoring of proteins in the cell membrane.

Phosphatidylserine is externalized in apoptosis of cells as " eat me " signal.

Ammonium salts of phosphatidic acids 442 ( ammonium phosphatide ), under the name E as food additives (emulsifiers and stabilizers) in cocoa and chocolate products.