Abstract
Elongated, more highly polyunsaturated derivatives of linolenic acid, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), accumulate in neurons of the brain (1). We have previously shown that neurons themselves are incapable of significant essential fatty acid elongation and desaturation and, thus, are dependent upon a supply of preformed DHA (2). However, astrocytes and cerebral endothelium actively elongate and desaturate the ω-3 fatty acid precursors, linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (2, 3). By doing so they may together represent an important source of DHA for the central nervous system.
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Moore, S.A. (1993). Cerebral Endothelium and Astrocytes Cooperate in Supplying Docosahexaenoic Acid to Neurons. In: Drewes, L.R., Betz, A.L. (eds) Frontiers in Cerebral Vascular Biology. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 331. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2920-0_36
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2920-0_36
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