Fatty Acid Metabolism

The synthesis of fatty acid is essentially the reverse of this degradation process. The synthesis of fatty acids starts from activated acyl group and malonyl units. The malonyl unit reacts with the acetyl unit and a four-carbon fragment is generated. Exactly the opposite of degradation, the fragment is then reduced, dehydrated, and reduced again, the carbonyl group is then brought to the level of a methylene group and the butyryl CoA is then formed at the same time. Butyryl unit reacts with another activated malonyl group and this process continues till a C18 fatty acid is synthesized.