Glycogen is not as reduced as fatty acids are and...

Key Concepts

Glycogen

Glycogen is a highly branched polymer of glucose that serves as a readily mobilizable stored form of energy in animals. It is primarily stored in liver and muscle tissues and can be rapidly broken down to release glucose for energy, especially during periods of high demand or hypoglycemia.

Fatty Acids

Fatty acids are long-chain hydrocarbons that, when stored as triglycerides, constitute a highly energy-dense form of storage fuel. Their reduced chemical state allows them to yield more ATP per carbon during oxidation, but their mobilization is slower compared to glycogen, and they require oxygen for metabolism.

Energy Storage Strategies

Animals use different energy storage molecules to balance between energy density and accessibility. While fatty acids provide a high energy yield for long-term storage, glycogen is used for short-term, rapid energy release, facilitating immediate cellular energy needs and quick responses to metabolic changes.

Metabolic Flexibility

Metabolic flexibility refers to an organism's ability to adapt its energy utilization strategies under varying conditions. Glycogen provides a fast and efficient source of glucose during acute energy demands, whereas fatty acid oxidation supports prolonged energy requirements, underscoring the need for having both types of storage forms.

Redox State and Energy Yield

The oxidation state of a biomolecule influences its potential energy yield. Glycogen, being less reduced than fatty acids, releases energy less densely per molecule, illustrative of the trade-offs between rapid energy mobilization and maximum energy extraction during cellular respiration.

Transcript

00:01 Other students today we're going to be discussing about the difference between glycogen and fatty acids in regards to the chapter on glycogen metabolism.

00:14 So before we continue on with this subject, i want to bring up the difference between, you know, a little bit more information about glycogen and fatty acids.

00:27 Gagogen is basically a multi -branch polysaccharide of glucose that serves as a form of energy stored in animals, fungi, and bacteria.

00:43 Whereas for fatty acids, fatty acids are basically the building blocks of the fat in our bodies and also in the food that we eat.

00:58 That we eat and during digestion the body breaks down fats into fatty acids which is then can be absorbed into the blood and with these fatty acids when they join together they can join together in groups of three forming a molecule called triglyceride and and with triglyceride.

01:32 In fact, it's also made in our bodies from carbohydrates that we eat, too.

01:40 And their main important function is in the body, which also includes energy storage too.

01:49 So since they both have similarities when it comes down to storing energy, the question that we have to ask, because when they bring up with fatty acids, is that fatty acids that they are able to reduce more than glycogen and also are more energy rich than glycogen.

02:16 The question we have to ask is, why do animals choose to store glycogen in their bodies? well the reason behind them is these list of factors is that glycogen is a very important fuel reserve also it controls the breakdown of glycogen and which also releases the glucose to increase the amount of glucose that is available in our body between meals it does serve as a buffer to maintain blood glucose concentration is in a very major role that they do play is that when they release the glucose the glucose is virtually the only fuel used for the brain except for prolonged starvation because if you haven't eaten in the wild like yes the glycogen is there when you haven't eaten you know between meals that it release the glucose to add sugars but when you haven't eaten for so long to a point where you're starving, it can't release so much.

03:29 It can only read if you have eaten, you know, it can do that.

03:32 But if you've been having eaten in a long time, it can't do that.

03:37 And also how with glycogen for when it comes to releasing glucose, that is a good, good source of energy for sudden and strenuous activity.

03:51 An example i can think about is let's just say you're walking around.

03:57 Going to let's say you're walking like working out or you're going somewhere that's like a close walk that's not far distance from where from your house and let's just say that some crazy man willing a knife saying like i'm going to hurt you like running after you you're that glucose kicks into your body where you suddenly have to get that energy to get away from this crazy man running about to harm me with a knife.

04:29 So that's a good reason.

04:33 So that's where glucose does help out, you know...

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