Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Determination of Tolerable Fatty Acids and Cholera Toxin Concentrations Using Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells and BALB/c Mouse Macrophages
09:39

Determination of Tolerable Fatty Acids and Cholera Toxin Concentrations Using Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells and BALB/c Mouse Macrophages

Published on: May 30, 2013

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and eicosanoids in infants--physiological and pathophysiological aspects and

A Sellmayer1, B Koletzko

  • 1Institut für Prophylaxe und Epidemiologie der Kreislaufkrankheiten und Medizinische Klinik, University of Munich, Germany. alois.sellmayer@klp.med.uni-muenchen.de

Lipids
|April 2, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) supplementation in infant formula impacts eicosanoid production and activity. This influences infant physiology and pathology, highlighting areas for future research.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Eicosanoids are crucial lipid mediators involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes.
  • Their generation is directly influenced by the availability of precursor long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of eicosanoids in infant health and disease.
  • To discuss how n-3 and n-6 LCPUFA supplementation affects eicosanoid generation in infants.
  • To identify research gaps and controversies regarding LCPUFA and eicosanoids in infants.

Main Methods:

  • Workshop summary and discussion.
  • Literature review on eicosanoid and LCPUFA metabolism in infants.

Main Results:

  • Infant formula supplementation with specific n-3 and n-6 LCPUFA alters eicosanoid formation and activity.
  • These alterations have implications for infant cytoprotection, vasoactivity, inflammation, and proliferation.

Conclusions:

  • Dietary LCPUFA intake is a key factor modulating eicosanoid profiles in infants.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the long-term effects and optimal supplementation strategies.

More Related Videos

Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans09:38

Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans

Published on: November 29, 2013

Enzymatic Synthesis of Epoxidized Metabolites of Docosahexaenoic, Eicosapentaenoic, and Arachidonic Acids13:05

Enzymatic Synthesis of Epoxidized Metabolites of Docosahexaenoic, Eicosapentaenoic, and Arachidonic Acids

Published on: June 28, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Structure of Lipids03:38

Structure of Lipids

Lipids include a diverse group of compounds that are largely nonpolar in nature. This is because they are hydrocarbons that include mostly nonpolar carbon-carbon or carbon-hydrogen bonds. Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic (“water fearing”), or insoluble in water. Lipids perform many different functions in a cell. Cells store energy for long-term use in the form of fats. Lipids also provide insulation from the environment for plants and animals. For example, they help keep aquatic birds and...
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism01:28

Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism

Lipids also are sources of energy that power cellular processes. Like carbohydrates, lipids are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but these atoms are arranged differently. Most lipids are nonpolar and hydrophobic. Major types include fats and oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.
Fatty acids are catabolized in a process called beta-oxidation, which takes place in the matrix of the mitochondria and converts their fatty acid chains into two-carbon units of acetyl groups. The acetyl...
Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum01:21

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum or smooth ER is a sub-organelle with specialized functions in animal cells and plant cells. It is often associated with the tubule morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum.
The ER provides optimal conditions for synthesizing steroid hormones and lipids, such as phospholipids and triglycerides. Traditionally, lipid metabolism was considered to be a smooth ER function. However, there is no direct evidence to prove that rough ER is completely excluded from lipid...
Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER01:28

Assembly of the Lipid Bilayer in the ER

Biological membranes are more than just a barrier separating cell cytoplasm from the outside environment. They are highly dynamic and help maintain the integrity and physiological stability of the cells as well as membrane-bound organelles. Membranes also play vital roles in cell-to-cell and intracellular communication.
A large chunk of any biological membrane is composed of phospholipids. These lipids have a heterogeneous distribution across different subcellular organelles and even between...
Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body01:31

Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body

Fats and lipids are crucial components in the human body. Some lipid-derived compounds, such as fat-soluble vitamins, eicosanoids, lipoproteins, and glycolipids, also play unique roles to support various  biological processes .
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E, and K, are required in minimal quantities, but their deficiencies can lead to severely abnormal physiological conditions. For example, vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness, dry skin, delayed...
Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements01:18

Lipids: Dietary Sources and Requirements

Lipids are an essential component of a balanced human diet. Triglycerides, which make up the majority of dietary lipids, are found in both saturated fats—commonly present in meat, dairy products, and certain tropical plants like coconut, and hydrogenated oils such as margarine and baking shortenings (trans fats)—and unsaturated fats, which are abundant in seeds, nuts, olive oil, and most vegetable oils. The main sources of cholesterol include egg yolks, various meats and organ meats, shellfish,...