Glossary of scientific terms

Glossary of Scientific Terms

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Lecithin
A major component of cell membranes containing equal amounts of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, phosphate, and choline. Lecithin is a member of the lipid group called phospholipids. Its biochemical name is phosphatidylcholine (PC).

Lipid
A lipid is a water insoluble (hydrophobic) substance and is the name of a large class of structurally and functionally diverse molecules. Important lipids include fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated), they are a component of phospholipids and fats
- phospholipids, main component of biological membranes composed of glycerol phosphate backbone, fatty acid substituents, and hydrophobic headgroups
- sterols, cholesterol derived membrane components, (sex) hormones, and bile salts (intestinal detergents)

Lipoprotein particle
These are protein based carriers of triglycerides (fats) and cholesterol in the blood circulation. The low-density lipoprotein particle LDL is also known as 'bad cholesterol' as it is the major carrier of blood plasma cholesterol and high levels of LDL particles are associated to increased risk of heart disease.