Fatty acid synthesis, its location and hormonal control will be covered. This will be followed by a description of triacylglycerol synthesis and the formation of lipid droplets. They will also become familiar with the structures of fatty acid synthetase and acetyl CoA carboxylase and with the enzymatic reactions leading to the synthesis and storage of triacylglycerols. Once again hormonal controls and rate limiting steps will be emphasized. The role of fatty acids in gene regulation will be touched upon.
Arachidonic acid gives rise to potent lipid mediators, known collectively as eicosanoids.
The physiological roles of eicosanoids, their synthesis and pharmacologic agents that inhibit their synthesis will be the focus of this lecture. Students will become familiar with the general classes of eicosanoids, the reactions that generate them and their physiological functions. Students should also appreciate the importance of drugs that suppress the effects of eicosanoids. Biosynthetic pathways leading to phospholipids and sphingolipids will be the focus of this lecture. The orientation of these components in membranes will also be discussed.