Rasvahappa

Rasvahappa is the Finnish word for fatty acid. Fatty acids are carboxylic acids with a long aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. They are an important class of biomolecules and are essential components of lipids. In biological systems, fatty acids can be found in various forms, including free fatty acids, triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol esters.

Free fatty acids are released from triglycerides through hydrolysis and serve as a primary source of energy for many cells. They can be transported in the blood bound to albumin. Triglycerides, formed by esterification of glycerol with three fatty acids, are the main storage form of energy in adipose tissue. Phospholipids, characterized by a phosphate group attached to a diglyceride, are crucial structural components of cell membranes. Cholesterol esters are formed by the esterification of cholesterol with a fatty acid.

Fatty acids are classified based on the length of their carbon chain and the presence and number of double bonds. Short-chain fatty acids have fewer than six carbon atoms, medium-chain fatty acids have between six and twelve carbon atoms, and long-chain fatty acids have more than twelve carbon atoms. Saturated fatty acids contain no carbon-carbon double bonds, while unsaturated fatty acids contain one or more carbon-carbon double bonds. Unsaturated fatty acids can be further divided into monounsaturated (one double bond) and polyunsaturated (two or more double bonds) fatty acids. The position of the double bonds also defines categories like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are essential for human health.