The fatty acid composition of subcellular membranes of rat liver, heart, and brain: diet-induced modifications.

The influence of diets having different fatty acids composition on the fatty acid content of (the phospholipids) of rat liver mitochondria and microsomes, heart mitochondria, brain mitochondria and microsomes has been analyzed. It has been found that each organelle has its own peculiar composition in fatty acids. This composition may be profoundly influenced by the diet, but to different degrees in different organelles. Those of brain are most resistant. The changes observed are rather rapid, being generally already maximal after three weeks of treatment. The parallel between fatty acid composition of diets, and the changes observed in the organelles, is not strict, and is probably influenced by the metabolic competition among oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid. Unusual fatty acids like erucic acid, trans-oleic acid, and trans-linoleic acid can also become incorporated into the membranes of cell organelles.