Fatty Acids Are the Major Form of Energy Storage in the Animal Body
Fatty acids are stored in adipose tissue in the form of triglycerides (also called triacylglycerols), which consist of three fatty-acid molecules linked to a glycerol molecule by ester bonds (see Figure 30-24).
Triglycerides are an ideal form of energy storage for animals. They are highly reduced molecules (there is little oxygen compared with the amount of carbon and hydrogen), which means they are a concentrated energy source, having more than twice the caloric value per gram than carbohydrates or amino acids. In addition, adipose tissue contains little water compared with protein or glycogen, the storage forms of the other two potential fuels. Thus, adipose tissue is undiluted by bulky water, allowing it to be a concentrated form of energy storage that permits animals to carry with them a maximal amount of energy at a minimal amount of weight. Fats, however, have a metabolic disadvantage; they are not water soluble. Therefore, special transport systems are needed to enable fats to be distributed among the tissues through the blood and lymph systems. In addition, fatty acids cannot be converted to glucose, so they cannot, under usual circumstances, contribute to the energy supply of the CNS. However, fatty acids can be converted to ketone bodies.
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