Synthesis of chain elongated-desaturated fatty acids from palmitic acid by liver and brain microsomes during the development of the pig.

Rates of chain elongation-desaturation of C16:0 were compared for liver and brain microsomes in fetal, neonatal and postnatal piglets. Rates of chain elongation of C16:0 were greatest in liver in the postnatal period. For all developmental periods examined, the amount of chain elongated fatty acid of C20 or greater chain length exceeded the amount of C18 precursors synthesized from C16:0. These observations suggest that chain elongation of fatty acids occurs during the latter part of gestation at rates equivalent to that observed in the early postnatal period.