Very Long Chain Fatty Acids

Fatty acids (FAs) are rather diverse in the number of double bonds and in terms of carbon (C) chain-length. Very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are fatty acids with more than 20 carbons. They are precursors of lipid mediators and also components of cellular lipids like sphingolipids and glycerophospholipids. The mutation in VLCFA metabolizing enzymes encoding genes will result in a series of inherited disorders like ichthyosis, demyelination, myopathy, mental retardation and macular degeneration. With the identification of enzymes associated with VLCFA synthesis and degradation, our knowledge about the function of VLCFAs is increasing accordingly.