Long chain fatty acids structure consists of a hydrocarbon chain of thirteen to twenty-one carbon atoms and a carboxylic head group. The hydrocarbon chain of LCFAs can further contain multiple double bonds, and be branched or linear.
The most abundant natural fatty acids belong to the long chain fatty acids. Commercially relevant seed oils and animals fats are rich in LCFAs. They are vital components of the animal diet, yet excess consumption has been linked to inflammation. Some proteolipids, proteins to which a lipid is bond, require specific long chain fatty acids to function properly, and the long chain fatty acid palmitic acid is the biosynthetic precursor of the sphingoid bases and thus all sphingolipids.
Here you can read more about the analysis of long chain fatty acids performed at Lipotype:
#FattyAcids #lipid #lipidomics #MassSpectrometry #LongChainFattyAcids
