Docosahexaenoic acids and development of the retina. - (:unkn) unknown (My University)
Eyes were collected from aborted fetuses of different ages. The retina was removed and lipids were extracted. Phospholipid classes were separated and transmethylated. Methyl esters of fatty acids were subjected to gas chromatography and the structure of fatty acids was studied using mass spectrometry. Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid increased sharply in the 2 main phospholipid classes of the retina, between weeks 20 and 22 of gestation in phosphatidylcholines and between weeks 22 and 23 of gestation in phosphatidylethanolamines. Fatty acid contents before and after this increased and the presence of trienoic acids before it indicating a deficiency in essential fatty acids in cells seem to indicate the occurrence of a mechanism which enables retinal rod and cone cells to take up those 2 fatty acids.
15 ref.
Eyes were collected from aborted fetuses of different ages. The retina was removed and lipids were extracted. Phospholipid classes were separated and transmethylated. Methyl esters of fatty acids were subjected to gas chromatography and the structure of fatty acids was studied using mass spectrometry. Docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid increased sharply in the 2 main phospholipid classes of the retina, between weeks 20 and 22 of gestation in phosphatidylcholines and between weeks 22 and 23 of gestation in phosphatidylethanolamines. Fatty acid contents before and after this increased and the presence of trienoic acids before it indicating a deficiency in essential fatty acids in cells seem to indicate the occurrence of a mechanism which enables retinal rod and cone cells to take up those 2 fatty acids.
Keywords: arachidonic acid; docosenoic acids; fetus; retina; Arachidonic acid; Fetus; Fetus; Retina