fat (fat)
fat [fat]
1. adipose tissue, forming soft pads between organs, smoothing and rounding out body contours, and furnishing a reserve supply of energy.
2. an ester of glycerol with fatty acids, usually oleic, palmitic, or stearic acid.
polyunsaturated fat one containing polyunsaturated fatty acids.
saturated fat one containing saturated fatty acids.
unsaturated fat one containing unsaturated fatty acids.
| unsaturated fat n. A fat having chains of unsaturated fatty acids. |
fat [fat]
1. the adipose tissue of the body.
2. a triglyceride (or triacylglycerol) that is an ester of fatty acids and glycerol. Each fat molecule contains one glycerol residue connected by ester linkages to three fatty acid residues, which may be the same or different. The fatty acids may have no double bonds in the carbon chain (saturated fatty acids), one double bond (monounsaturated), or two or more double bonds (polyunsaturated). Essential fatty acids cannot be synthesized by the body but must be obtained from the diet or from intravenous infusion of lipids.
Saturated and Unsaturated Fats. All of the common unsaturated fatty acids are liquid (oils) at room temperature. Through the process of hydrogenation, hydrogen can be incorporated into certain unsaturated fatty acids so that they are converted into solid fats for cooking purposes. Margarine is an example of the hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acids into a solid substance.
brown fat a thermogenic type of adipose tissue containing a dark pigment, and arising during embryonic life in certain specific areas in many mammals, including humans (see illustration); it is prominent in the newborn. Called also brown adipose tissue.
Sites of brown fat in the neonate. From McKinney et al., 2000.
neutral fat fat (def. 2).
polyunsaturated fat a fat containing polyunsaturated fatty acids; see also fat.
saturated fat a fat containing saturated fatty acids; see also fat.
unsaturated fat a fat containing unsaturated fatty acids; see also fat.
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