Summary
Lipids are a diverse group of hydrophobic and amphipathic biomolecules that include fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, eicosanoids, terpenoids, and steroids. They play critical roles in energy storage, structural integrity of cell membranes, signaling pathways, and hormone production. The biochemical pathways responsible for both the breakdown (catabolism via beta-oxidation) and synthesis (via acetyl-CoA and mevalonate pathways) of fatty acids and complex lipids involve specific enzyme-catalyzed reactions that often rely on intricate stereochemical and mechanistic details. A clear understanding of these processes has important applications in medicine, particularly in the development of cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins) and other therapeutics.