For the 6th Edition of this highly regarded textbook devoted to lipids, the title has been modified from Lipid Biochemistry to Lipids to acknowledge the coming together of biological and medical sciences, the increasingly blurred boundaries between them and the growing importance of lipids in diverse aspects of science and technology.

Preface, xv Acknowledgements, xvii About the authors, xix About the companion website, xxi 1 Lipids: definitions, naming, methods and a guide to the contents of this book, 1 1.1 Introduction, 1 1.2 Definitions, 1 1.3 Structural chemistry and nomenclature, 1 1.4 Lipidomics, 4 1.5 A guide to the contents of this book, 8 Key points, 11 Further reading, 12 2 Important biological lipids and their structures, 13 2.1 Structure and properties of fatty acids, 13 2.2 Storage lipids – triacylglycerols and wax esters, 20 2.3 Membrane lipids, 26 Key points, 42 Further reading, 42 3 Fatty acid metabolism, 44 3.1 The biosynthesis of fatty acids, 44 3.2 Degradation of fatty acids, 85 3.3 Chemical peroxidation is an important reaction particularly of polyunsaturated fatty acids, 95 3.4 Peroxidation catalysed by lipoxygenase enzymes, 96 3.5 Essential fatty acids and the biosynthesis of eicosanoids, 100 Key points, 120 Further reading, 121 4 The metabolism of complex lipids, 124 4.1 The biosynthesis of triacylglycerols, 124 4.2 The catabolism of acylglycerols, 133 4.3 The integration and control of animal acylglycerol metabolism, 136 4.4 Wax esters, 143 4.5 Phosphoglyceride biosynthesis, 146 4.6 Degradation of phospholipids, 157 4.7 Metabolism of glycosylglycerides, 163 4.8 Metabolism of sphingolipids, 165 4.9 Cholesterol biosynthesis, 173 Key points, 182 Further reading, 183 5 Roles of lipids in cellular structures, 187 5.1 Lipid assemblies, 187 5.2 Role of lipids in cellular evolution, 193 5.3 Membrane structure, 201 5.4 Membrane function, 206 5.5 Intracellular lipid droplets, 215 5.6 Extracellular lipid assemblies, 222 Key points, 226 Further reading, 227 6 Dietary lipids and their biological roles, 229 6.1 Lipids in food, 229 6.2 Roles of dietary lipids, 233 Key points, 251 Further reading, 251 7 Lipid assimilation and transport, 253 7.1 Lipid digestion and absorption, 253 7.2 Transport of lipids in the blood: plasma lipoproteins, 261 7.3 The coordination of lipid metabolism in the body, 275 Key points, 284 Further reading, 285 8 Lipids in transmembrane signalling and cell regulation, 287 8.1 Phosphoinositides have diverse roles in cell signalling and cell compartmentation, 288 8.2 Endocannabinoid signalling, 299 8.3 Lysophosphatidate and sphingosine 1-phosphate in the circulation regulate cell motility and proliferation, 299 8.4 Signalling by phospholipase D, at least partly through phosphatidate, 300 8.5 Ceramide regulates apoptosis and other cell responses, 301 Key points, 302 Further reading, 303 9 The storage of triacylglycerols in animals and plants, 304 9.1 White adipose tissue depots and triacylglycerol storage in animals, 304 9.2 Brown adipose tissue and its role in thermogenesis, 310 9.3 Lipid storage in plants, 313 Key points, 314 Further reading, 315 10 Lipids in health and disease, 317 10.1 Inborn errors of lipid metabolism, 317 10.2 Lipids and cancer, 323 10.3 Lipids and immune function, 328 10.4 Effects of too much or too little adipose tissue: obesity and lipodystrophies, 338 10.5 Disorders of lipoprotein metabolism, 349 Key points, 364 Further reading, 365 11 Lipid technology and biotechnology, 367 11.1 Introduction, 367 11.2 Lipid technologies: from surfactants to biofuels, 367 11.3 Lipids in foods, 375 11.4 Modifiying lipids in foods, 379 11.5 Modifying lipids in nonedible products, 383 11.6 Lipids and genetically modified organisms, 385 Key points, 390 Further reading, 390 Index and list of abbreviations, 391

For the Sixth Edition of this highly regarded textbook devoted to lipids, the title has been modified from Lipid Biochemistry to Lipids to acknowledge the coming together of biological and medical sciences, the increasingly blurred boundaries between them and the growing importance of lipids in diverse aspects of science and technology. The principal aims of this new edition - to inform students and researchers about lipids, to assist teachers and encourage further research – have not changed since previous editions. Significant advances in lipid science have demanded yet another extensive rewriting for this edition, with the addition of two new authors, to cover new knowledge of genes coding for proteins involved in lipid metabolism, the many lipids involved in cell signalling, the roles of lipids in health and disease and new developments in biotechnology in support of agriculture and industry.An introductory chapter summarizes the types of lipids covered and their identification and provides a guide to the contents. Chapters contain boxes illustrating special topics, key point summaries and suggested further reading.Lipids: 6th Edition provides a huge wealth of information for upper-level students of biological and clinical sciences, food science and nutrition, and for professionals working in academic and industrial research. Libraries in all universities and research establishments where biological, medical and food and nutritional sciences are studied and taught should have copies of this excellent and comprehensive new edition on their shelves.About the authorsMichael Gurr was Visiting Professor in Human Nutrition at Reading and Oxford Brookes Universities, UKJohn Harwood is a Professor of Biochemistry, School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UKKeith Frayn is Emeritus Professor of Human Metabolism, University of Oxford, UKDenis Murphy is Professor of Biotechnology, School of Applied Sciences, University of South Wales, UK Robert Michell is Professor of Biochemistry, School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, UK