Everything about Lipids

What are lipids? Why are lipids important? And what is lipidomics? Researchers from biology and medicine explain why life needs thousands of lipids.

What are Lipids

The molecular structure of the lipid cholesterol

Ceramides

Triglycerides

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes. It is critical to lipid rafts, small subunits of the cell membrane, which are involved in functions like cell communication.

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The molecular structure of trigliceride lipids

Triglycerides are the main constituent of body fat and play an important role in energy storage. They are of special interest in research of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fat to tackle obesity-associated diseases.

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The molecular structure of ceramide lipids

Ceramides are important for cellular signaling, the communication processes of cells. For instance, they are involved in regulating cell size and growth depending on nutrient availability.

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Building blocks of life.

Lipids are a diverse group of small molecules. Glycerolipids, sterol lipids, sphingolipids, phospholipids – there are thousands of distinct lipids. Each of them is chemically unique and they have many different biological functions.

One biological role is to form the matrix of cell membranes, where they support a variety of vital functions. But lipids also function as energy storage, and serve as hormones, essential nutrients or cellular signaling molecules too. More and more we find functions related to individual lipid molecules.

The molecular structure of the lipid cholesterol
 

Ceramides

Triglycerides

Cholesterol

Cholesterol is an essential structural component of animal cell membranes. It is critical to lipid rafts, small subunits of the cell membrane, which are involved in functions like cell communication.

Read more

The molecular structure of trigliceride lipids

Triglycerides are the main constituent of body fat and play an important role in energy storage. They are of special interest in research of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ fat to tackle obesity-associated diseases.

Read more

The molecular structure of ceramide lipids

Ceramides are important for cellular signaling, the communication processes of cells. For instance, they are involved in regulating cell size and growth depending on nutrient availability.

Read more

Why are Lipids Important

A characteristic lipid profile in diabetes can be used to prevent the disease

Cancer

Depression

Stroke+

Diabetes

A disordered lipid metabolism (dyslipidemia) can be the result but also cause of diabetes. In patients with diabetes, the lipid levels of phosphatidylcholines and triacylglycerides are impaired.

doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.116.004503

Cardiovascular disease can be monitored with lipidomics

Stroke and ischaemic heart disease are the leading causes of death. Both are accompanied by impaired cholesterol ester levels. Routine testing can help predict and prevent both cardiovascular diseases.

doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-3311...

In depression the lipid profile changes

Gangliosides, sphingomyelins, phospholipids - the human brain has one of the most complex lipid profiles. In patients with depression, the vulnerable lipid framework of the brain is vastly altered.

doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00459

Phospholipid metabolism in breast cancer is a new therapeutic target against tumor growth

Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism for rapid proliferation. This also affects phospholipids. Blocking phospholipid synthesis significantly inhibits tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer.

doi.org/10.1096/fj.201601353R

Lipids in health and disease.

In humans, there are more than 2000 different lipids which are linked to health and disease. Their molecular interplay with genes, proteins and metabolites influences our well-being. This interplay is strongly affected by the cellular supply of each of these lipids.

‘Healthy’ means all lipids are perfectly balanced. Each cell must constantly adjust its lipid metabolism to achieve this goal. A disordered lipid metabolism poses a direct threat to health and life. It can fuel the development and even cause severe diseases.

Pharma, food and cosmetics

A characteristic lipid profile in diabetes can be used to prevent the disease
 

Depression

Cancer

Stroke +

Diabetes

A disordered lipid metabolism (dyslipidemia) can be the result but also cause of diabetes. In patients with diabetes, the lipid levels of phosphatidylcholines and triacylglycerides are impaired.

doi.org/10.1161/JAHA.116.004503

Cardiovascular disease can be monitored with lipidomics

Stroke and ischaemic heart disease are the leading causes of death. Both are accompanied by impaired cholesterol ester levels. Routine testing can help predict and prevent both cardiovascular diseases.

doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-3311…

Phospholipid metabolism in breast cancer is a new therapeutic target against tumor growth

Cancer cells reprogram their metabolism for rapid proliferation. This also affects phospholipids. Blocking phospholipid synthesis significantly inhibits tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer.

doi.org/10.1096/fj.201601353R

In depression the lipid profile changes

Gangliosides, sphingomyelins, phospholipids – the human brain has one of the most complex lipid profiles. In patients with depression, the vulnerable lipid framework of the brain is vastly altered.

doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00459

Daily Lipid Facts

New lipid research pops up across the globe every day. We read these science news, explain them in easy to digest summaries and state our scientific opinions. Just follow us!

          

Lipidomics

Shotgun lipidomics is based on mass spectrometry

Results

Data

Technology

The mass spectrometer measures the specific mass of each lipid molecule. Incorporating additional physical parameters, the device generates complex mass spectra from it with millions of data points.

doi.org/10.1002/ejlt.201500145

Bioinformatics translates mass spectra into lipid data

Mass spectra hold massive information. Among it: the type of lipid molecules and their respective amounts. Bioinformatics solutions decipher the mass spectra and extract the relevant biological data.

doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029...

Bio-statistics helps interpret lipidomics data to find answers

Bio-statistics puts the lipid data to the test. Thousands of data points per biological sample are processed to identify patterns that can distinguish between information such as a truly healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) and a secretly obese one.

doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000...

The research questions of our time.

Testing selected lipid molecules provides only a glimpse at the state of health. Measuring all lipids at once paints the big picture, a full lipidome. The technical solution to this is lipidomics, where thousands of lipids from biological samples are analyzed at once.

The lipids are shot into a mass spectrometer. Bioinformatics solutions and bio-statistical methods convert the mass spectrometer results into powerful charts and graphs. These extended lipid profiles tell all about the lipids of the original biological sample.

Lipotype Lipidomics

Shotgun lipidomics is based on mass spectrometry
 

Results

Data

Technology

The mass spectrometer measures the specific mass of each lipid molecule. Incorporating additional physical parameters, the device generates complex mass spectra from it with millions of data points.

doi.org/10.1002/ejlt.201500145

Bioinformatics translates mass spectra into lipid data

Mass spectra hold massive information. Among it: the type of lipid molecules and their respective amounts. Bioinformatics solutions decipher the mass spectra and extract the relevant biological data.

doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0029…

Bio-statistics helps interpret lipidomics data to find answers

Bio-statistics puts the lipid data to the test. Thousands of data points per biological sample are processed to identify patterns that can distinguish between information such as a truly healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) and a secretly obese one.

doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000…

Study Lipidomics Publications

The key to great research is as simple as elegant: studying.
Which is why we created the Lipidomics Resource Center, an online platform which provides better access to lipid analysis publications – for free, to everybody.

Lipidomics Resource Center

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on March 19, 2024