Fatty acid
In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with a long aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are usually not found in organisms, but instead as three main classes of esters: triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol esters. In any of these forms, fatty acids are both important dietary sources of fuel for animals and they are important structural components for cells.
Essential fatty acid interactions
Arachidonic acid (AA) is a 20-carbon ω-6 conditionally essential fatty acid. It sits at the head of the "arachidonic acid cascade" – more than 20 different signalling paths that control a wide array of bodily functions, but especially those functions involving inflammation, cell growth and the central nervous system. Most AA in the human body derives from dietary linoleic acid (another essential fatty acid, 18:2 ω-6), which is derived from nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and animal fats.