SUMMARY
The liver as a source of LC-PUF A for postnatal brain development in the rat
We address here the issue concerning he origin of essential long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) needed for early postnatal brain development. Normal newborn rats 1,5,10 and 20 day-old were decapitated. immediately after, the livers were processed to obtain the microsomal fraction and its ?6 fatty acid desaturase activity and fatty acid composition were determined. Samples of plasma, whole homogenized brain hemispheres and milk containde in the gastric cavity of the suckling rats, were analyzed to obtained their fatty acid composition. We fond hat the rat neonate has a very low, ?6 desaturase activity in liver microsomes as compared with the adult. In contrast, there is a considerable quantity of DHA an AA in the milk, liver micromes, plasma lipids and brain. In conclusion, we propose that brain DHA and AA cannot be derived substantially through liver synthesis, but hrough the availability of these preformed fatty acids in the milk. These fatty acids are concentrated in liver microsomes and then secreted into plasma lipid pool to reach finally to brain structures.

Key words: Polyunsaturated fatty acids, postnatal brain development, rats.



Recibido: 08/04/1997
Aceptado: 13/07/1998

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