Fatty acid

Fatty acids are a major component of the lipid (up to 70 wt%) in some species such as microalgae but in some other organisms are not found in their standalone form, but instead exist as three main classes of esters: triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesteryl esters. In any of these forms, fatty acids are both important dietary sources of fuel for animals and important structural components for cells.

Three-dimensional representations of several fatty acids.