Introduction to Lipidomics: From Bacteria to Man

Lipidomics is the study of the lipid molecules that are found in animal, plant, and bacterial cells. Recent research in this field has been driven by the development of sensitive new mass spectrometric tools and protocols, leading to the identification and quantification of thousands of lipids and their roles in metabolic processes. Designed for students of biochemistry, cell biology, pharmacology, nutrition, cosmetics, and medicine, Introduction to Lipidomics: From Bacteria to Man organizes the vast diversity of lipid molecules around simple analytical concepts, which are also understandable to students and readers from other scientific fields. It describes the structure, history, and function of lipids that play a key role in energy metabolism, cell signaling, and the formation of membranes of living cells. Each lipid section in the book contains a brief account of its discovery, biological functions, and possible pharmacological properties. An appendix is devoted to the chronology of lipid discoveries and associated techniques, supplemented by a bibliography of the major lipid groups and a review of lipid Web sites. The first comprehensive book on lipidomics, this long-awaited work inventories the huge variety of lipid molecules from animal, plant, and bacterial cells. It includes marine ecosystems, little-known structures from bibliographic data, cultural references, and context. A true text rather than just a catalog, it is highly informative and educational while simultaneously being anecdotal and interesting.