Conservation of docosahexaenoic acid in the retina.
Over the last several years, evidence has accumulated that n-3 fatty acids, particularly 22:6n-3, are essential for the development of the structure and function of the visual system. The importance of 22:6n-3 is reflected in the tenacious manner in which the retina conserves this fatty acid during n-3 deficiency. We have shown that conservation is achieved by recycling 22:6n-3 within the retina or between the retina and the pigment epithelium. Within the retina, recycling could be accomplished by deacylation-reacylation reactions (Louie et al., 1991; Zimmerman and Keys, 1988). Recycling between the retina and the RPE may be achieved through specific transport proteins, possibly interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (Bazan et al., 1985) and/or apolipoprotein E (Bazan et al., 1991).
Anderson
R E
RE
Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.
O'Brien
P J
PJ
Wiegand
R D
RD
Koutz
C A
CA
Stinson
A M
AM
D000818:Animals; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D012160:Retina / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids