Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in cultured fish cells: Incorporation and metabolism of (n-3) and (n-6) series acids by Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) cells

The incorporation and metabolism of (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) supplemented to growing cultures were studied in Atlantic salmon (AS) cells. A fatty acid concentration of 25 μM considerably altered the fatty acid composition of AS cells without increasing the neutral lipid content of the cells or inducing the production of cytoplasmic lipid droplets. Whereas Δ6 and Δ5 desaturase activities were significantly expressed in AS cells, Δ4 desaturase activity was very low. Both the Δ6 desaturase activity and the Δ5 desaturase activity showed some preference for (n-3) PUFA.