Fatty Acids Flashcards
What are the role of fatty acids between meals and during periods of increased demand, such as exercise?
During overnight
fasting, fatty acids become the major fuel for cardiac muscle, skeletal
muscle, and liver.
In the liver, ketone bodies are converted to what?
The liver converts fatty acids to ketone bodies (acetoacetate
and !-hydroxybutyrate), which also serve as major fuels for tissues
Can the brain use fatty acids for fuel?
NO, however, the brain, which does not have a significant capacity for fatty acid oxidation,
can use ketone bodies as a fuel during prolonged fasting.
How are fatty acids classified in terms of length?
They are classified in terms of length by the number of Carbons present in the chain.
How many carbons typically make up a “very long-chain” fatty acid?
> 20 Carbons
How many carbons typically make up a “long-chain” fatty acid?
12-20 Carbons
How many carbons typically make up a “medium-chain” fatty acid?
6-12 Carbons
How many carbons typically make up a “short long-chain” fatty acid?
4 Carbons
What pathway generates ATP during the oxidation of fatty acids?
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is generated from oxidation of fatty acids in the pathway of beta-oxidation.
Between meals and during overnight fasting, what kind of fatty acids are released from adipose tissue?
Between meals and during overnight fasting, long-chain fatty acids are released from adipose tissue triacylglycerols.
How do triacylglycerols circulate in the blood?
Triacylglycerols travel through the blood stream to their destinations by binding to albumin, which is their carrier.
Once in the cell, what happens to triacylglycerol?
In cells, a stepwise process occurs to convert the triacylglycerol into usable energy.
1. they are converted to fatty acyl coenzyme A (fatty acyl-CoA)
2.The activated acyl group is transported into the mitochondrial matrix bound to carnitine, where fatty acyl-CoA is regenerated.
3.Beta-oxidation of the fatty acyl group is sequentially oxidized
to yield FAD(2H), NADH, and acetyl-CoA.
4.Subsequent oxidation of NADH
and FAD(2H) in the electron-transport chain, and oxidation of acetyl-CoA
to CO2 in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, generates ATP from oxidative
phosphorylation.
In general how are ketone bodies formed?
In the liver, much of the acetyl-CoA generated from fatty acid oxidation is
converted to ketone bodies, acetoacetate and Beta-hydroxybutyrate, which enter the blood and travel to other tissues for use.
In general how to tissues use ketone bodies?
In tissues ketone bodies are converted to acetyl-CoA, which is oxidized in the TCA cycle.
Where does ketone body synthesis occur?
The liver synthesizes
ketone bodies but cannot use them as a fuel.
How is the rate of fatty acid oxidation determined?
The rate of fatty acid oxidation is linked to the rate of NADH, FAD(2H), and acetyl-CoA oxidation and, thus, to the rate of oxidative phosphorylation and ATP use.
What is an additional regulator of fatty acid oxidation?
Additional regulation occurs through malonyl-CoA, which inhibits formation of the fatty acyl carnitine derivatives.