2008 Woodie Awards
The Chemistry Club: All About Lipids
Tehilla Raviv
Issue date: 4/15/08 Section: Science and Health
On April 7, Stern College for Women's Dr. Evan Mintzer gave a lecture to the Chemistry Society on his research: "The Biophysics of Lipids and Membranes and The Effects of Oxysterols." While the topic sounds interesting, it is also quite complicated. To better understand Dr. Mintzer's research and its importance, the biological significance of lipids must be understood.
The category of lipids includes a large variety of biological molecules including fats, oils, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The only property these molecules have in common is that they are hydrophobic, literally "water hating" or water repellent. Lipids may have a bad reputation for causing an increase in weight, but they are actually quite important in body functionality.
Biological lipids are used mainly to store energy, provide structural support, and behave as signal molecules. So while an excess of lipids in a diet is unhealthy, a deficiency can cause serious problems. For example, a deficiency in cholesterol, an integral part of the cell membrane, can cause cellular dysfunction, since the fluidity of the cell membrane is not regulated properly. Steroids, which are derived from cholesterol, also play a large role as precursors to many essential hormones in the body, including hormones involved in the suppression of inflammation. Recent research has even linked cholesterol levels to the activity levels of GTPase, which is involved in receptor mediated signal transduction in a cell.
Dr. Mintzer's research focuses mainly on lipids in the cell membrane and their interactions. The cell membrane is made up of a dual layer of phospholipids. The non-polar lipid portion is pointed inwards to create a hydrophobic core, while the charged phosphate "heads" create a polar exterior. Dispersed throughout the membrane are cholesterol molecules, proteins, and many other molecules. Many of these proteins behave as receptors of hormones and neurotransmitters. Other proteins behave as channels, allowing large polar molecules, which cannot easily traverse the hydrophobic space created by the phospholipids, a means of entering and exiting the cell. Dr. Mintzer's research examines the general protein-lipid interaction and may be helpful in understanding their behavior in the phospholipids bi-layer of a cell.
The category of lipids includes a large variety of biological molecules including fats, oils, cholesterol, and triglycerides. The only property these molecules have in common is that they are hydrophobic, literally "water hating" or water repellent. Lipids may have a bad reputation for causing an increase in weight, but they are actually quite important in body functionality.
Biological lipids are used mainly to store energy, provide structural support, and behave as signal molecules. So while an excess of lipids in a diet is unhealthy, a deficiency can cause serious problems. For example, a deficiency in cholesterol, an integral part of the cell membrane, can cause cellular dysfunction, since the fluidity of the cell membrane is not regulated properly. Steroids, which are derived from cholesterol, also play a large role as precursors to many essential hormones in the body, including hormones involved in the suppression of inflammation. Recent research has even linked cholesterol levels to the activity levels of GTPase, which is involved in receptor mediated signal transduction in a cell.
Dr. Mintzer's research focuses mainly on lipids in the cell membrane and their interactions. The cell membrane is made up of a dual layer of phospholipids. The non-polar lipid portion is pointed inwards to create a hydrophobic core, while the charged phosphate "heads" create a polar exterior. Dispersed throughout the membrane are cholesterol molecules, proteins, and many other molecules. Many of these proteins behave as receptors of hormones and neurotransmitters. Other proteins behave as channels, allowing large polar molecules, which cannot easily traverse the hydrophobic space created by the phospholipids, a means of entering and exiting the cell. Dr. Mintzer's research examines the general protein-lipid interaction and may be helpful in understanding their behavior in the phospholipids bi-layer of a cell.
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