Abstract

Linoleic acid (18:2 ϖ6) and alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 ϖ3) are considered essential fatty acids (EFA) for mammals because of the inability of animal tissues to synthesize them and the resulting deficiency syndromes when they are removed from the diet. Animal tissues, especially the liver, have the necessary enzymes for EFA elongation and desaturation. As shown in Figure 1, these enzymes generate a family of compounds for each EFA: ϖ6 derivatives from linoleic acid (18: ϖ6) and ϖ3 derivatives from alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 ϖ3).

© 1991 Optical Society of America