Question

How are lipids important to living things?

Answer 1

Hint: Lipids are one of the basic building blocks for a living cell or organism. Lipids are nonpolar water-insoluble organic fatty acids or their derivatives, like fat, waxes, oils. They are fatty acids bonded to a wide range of other compounds with ester linkage.

Complete answer:
Lipids are a very important constituent for a living organism, it is required for maintaining numerous biological functions.
• The plasma membrane or the cell membrane is a dual-layer of phospholipids and known as the lipid bilayer. The cell membrane functions to separate the cell content from the external space. The cell membrane takes part in important biological functions like transport of a substance, cellular response, cell signaling, etc.
• The size to energy ratio is very high for lipids, that’s why it is a great source of energy for animals. They store fat as an emergency reserve of energy in the form of adipose tissue.
• For marine animals, such as seals and dolphins, lipid acts as a great insulator of heat. In these animals, a thick layer of lipid is formed which is called blubber. The blubber acts as an insulator and protects internal organs from the cold temperature of the water.
• Steroids and hormones are nothing but lipid derivatives. They are required for cell communication and important for processes like growth, sexual development, regulating immunity, etc.

Note: Lipids are not a single type of molecule, there are many different varieties of lipids like glycolipids, phospholipids, and others. Their ability to bond with numerous other molecules makes them very important for living organisms. From the primary constituent of the cell membrane to the regulation of cell communication, lipids are required. Lipid being a dense source of energy, our biology adapts to it and stores energy in the form of adipose tissue. That’s why lipids are very important to living beings.