Essential Fatty Acid - Functions

Functions

The biological effects of the ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids are mediated by their mutual interactions, see Essential fatty acid interactions for detail.

In the body, essential fatty acids serve multiple functions. In each of these, the balance between dietary ω-3 and ω-6 strongly affects function.

  • They are modified to make
    • the classic eicosanoids (affecting inflammation and many other cellular functions)
    • the endocannabinoids (affecting mood, behavior and inflammation)
    • the lipoxins from ω-6 EFAs and resolvins from ω-3 (in the presence of aspirin, downregulating inflammation.)
    • the isofurans, neurofurans, isoprostanes, hepoxilins, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and Neuroprotectin D
  • They form lipid rafts (affecting cellular signaling)
  • They act on DNA (activating or inhibiting transcription factors such as NF-κB, which is linked to pro-inflammatory cytokine production)

Read more about this topic:  Essential Fatty Acid

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