Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Determination of Fatty Acid Oxidation and Lipogenesis in Mouse Primary Hepatocytes
Published on: August 27, 2015
Long-chain and very long-chain fatty acyl-coa synthetase activity in microsomes of jimpy mouse brain
S Soeda1, K Miyazaki, Y Kishimoto
1John F. Kennedy Institute and the Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, U.S.A.
Abstract:
The objective of this study was to determine whether the conversion of free, very long chain fatty acids (C(22)-C(26)) to their CoA-esters are involved in cerebroside synthesis, since cerebrosides are uniquely rich in very long chain fatty acids including lignoceric acid (C(24:0)). We have studied lignoceroyl-CoA synthetase activity in the microsomes isolated from normal and jimpy mouse brain. The jimpy mouse lacks the ability to make myelin and is deficient in enzyme activities involved in the synthesis of myelin components, including cerebrosides. Unexpectedly, the lignoceroyl-CoA synthetase activity in jimpy brain microsomes was slightly higher than that in control microsomes. The palmitoyl (C(16:0))-CoA synthetase activity in jimpy brain was not different from the control. The level of cerebrosides in microsomes was grossly lower in jimpy brain. The implication of these findings and the involvement of lignoceric acid activation in cerebroside synthesis is discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Lipid Catabolism
Overview of Fatty Acid Metabolism
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...
Biosynthesis of Lipids
Lipid-derived Compounds in the Human Body
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...
Lipid Digestion
Lipids as Anchors
The carboxy-terminal of most of the prenylated proteins, such as Ras proteins, contains the...

