Structural Significance of Docosahexaenoic Acid

Abstract

Docosahexaenoic acid （C22 : 6n-3, DHA） plays a special role in biological membrane dynamics, and especially affects human health and various diseases. I try to review the structural significance of DHA in two points, membrane dynamics and oxidative metabolites, to realize the action mechanisms of DHA on health and diseases. It has been believed that polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid （C20 : 4n-6） and DHA, in bio-membranes may increase fluidity of the membrane （ "fluidity hypothesis" ） and thus modulate mobility of membrane proteins, however, it is proved recently that the fluidity hypothesis is not always true for DHA. It has been shown that DHA could have quite various conformations