Distinct roles of specific fatty acids in cellular processes: implications for interpreting and reporting experiments.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Plasma contains a variety of long-chain fatty acids (FAs), such that about 35% are saturated and 65% are unsaturated. There are countless examples that show how different FAs impart specific and unique effects, or even opposing actions, on cellular function. Despite these differing effects, palmitate (C16:0) is regularly used to represent "FAs" in cell based experiments. Although palmitate can be useful to induce and study stress effects in cultured cells, these effects in isolation are not physiologically relevant to dietary manipulations, obesity, or the consequences of physiological concentrations of FAs. Hence, authors should avoid conclusions that generalize about "FAs" or "saturated FAs" or "high-fat diet" effects if only a single FA was used in the reported experiments.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Watt, MJ; Hoy, AJ; Muoio, DM; Coleman, RA
Published Date
- January 1, 2012
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 302 / 1
Start / End Page
- E1 - E3
PubMed ID
- 22180647
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC3774556
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1522-1555
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1152/ajpendo.00418.2011
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States