Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Fatty acid transport and utilization for the developing brain

J Edmond1, T A Higa, R A Korsak

  • 1Department of Biological Chemistry and the Mental Retardation Research Center, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90095-1737, USA.

Journal of Neurochemistry
|March 7, 1998
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The Warburg effect: a balance of flux analysis.

Metabolomics : Official journal of the Metabolomic Society·2015
Same author

Extensive Scarring of the Face.

Proceedings of the Royal Society of Medicine·2009
Same author

Regional variations in pulmonary endarterectomy rates within the UK.

The European respiratory journal·2009
Same author

Oxidative stress and the deleterious consequences to the rat cochlea after prenatal chronic mild exposure to carbon monoxide in air.

Neuroscience·2007
Same author

The effect of thiamine supplementation on tumour proliferation. A metabolic control analysis study.

European journal of biochemistry·2001
Same author

Gleevec (STI571) influences metabolic enzyme activities and glucose carbon flow toward nucleic acid and fatty acid synthesis in myeloid tumor cells.

The Journal of biological chemistry·2001
Same journal

A PARK9 iPSC-Derived Dopaminergic Neuron Model Enables Drug Screening Targeting Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease.

Journal of neurochemistry·2026
Same journal

Opposing Estrous Cycle-Dependent Norepinephrine and Dopamine Regulation in Response to Methamphetamine.

Journal of neurochemistry·2026
Same journal

Exercise Snacking in Alzheimer's Disease: A Mechanistic Rationale Based on Repeated Exerkine Signaling.

Journal of neurochemistry·2026
Same journal

The Converging Effects of Different Categories of Antidepressants on the Brain: A Systematic Meta-Analysis of Public Transcriptional Profiling Data From the Hippocampus and Cortex.

Journal of neurochemistry·2026
Same journal

Splice Type-Specific Effects of Gαo Subunits on Cerebellar Anatomy and Synapse Formation.

Journal of neurochemistry·2026
Same journal

Neurobiological and Behavioral Consequences of Prenatal Methadone or Buprenorphine Exposure: Insight From Animal Models.

Journal of neurochemistry·2026
See all related articles

Dietary saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids are synthesized in the brain, while polyunsaturated fatty acids must be transported there. This highlights specific delivery mechanisms for essential fatty acids during brain development.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Dietary fatty acids are crucial for organ development, particularly the brain.
  • Understanding the transport and utilization of specific fatty acids is key to brain growth and myelination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the uptake and de novo synthesis of dietary saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids in developing rat organs, including the brain.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of fatty acid delivery to the brain during critical developmental periods.

Main Methods:

  • Artificially reared rat pups were fed a milk substitute containing perdeuterated fatty acids (palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic).
  • Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze deuterated fatty acid isotopomers in liver, lung, kidney, and brain lipid extracts.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Quantification of isotopomers allowed estimation of fatty acid uptake and de novo synthesis.

    • Main Results:

    • Intact dietary saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were detected in peripheral organs but not the brain.
    • Perdeuterated linoleic acid (an n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid) was found in all analyzed organs, including the brain.
    • De novo synthesis of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids occurred in all tissues, with the highest deuterium enrichment in the brain, indicating local production.

    Conclusions:

    • The developing brain relies on local de novo biosynthesis for saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids.
    • Essential n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids require specific transport mechanisms for delivery to the brain.
    • These findings clarify the distinct metabolic fates of different fatty acid classes during brain development and myelination.