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Short-chain fatty acid

Fatty acid with fewer than six carbon atoms

Fatty acid with fewer than six carbon atoms

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are fatty acids of two to six carbon atoms. The SCFAs' lower limit is interpreted differently, either with one, two, three or four carbon atoms. Derived from intestinal microbial fermentation of indigestible foods, SCFAs in human gut are acetic, propionic and butyric acid. Butyrate is the main energy source of colonocytes, making them crucial to gastrointestinal health. SCFAs all possess varying degrees of water solubility, which distinguishes them from longer chain fatty acids that are immiscible.

List of SCFAs

Lipid numberNameSalt/Ester NameFormulaMass
(g/mol)DiagramCommonSystematicCommonSystematicMolecularStructural
C2:0Acetic acidEthanoic acidAcetateEthanoate60.05[[File:Acetic-acid-2D-skeletal.svg30pxright]]
C3:0Propionic acidPropanoic acidPropionatePropanoate74.08[[File:Propionic acid chemical structure.svg37pxright]]
C4:0Butyric acidButanoic acidButyrateButanoate88.11[[File:Butyric acid acsv.svg44pxright]]
C4:0Isobutyric acid2-Methylpropanoic acidIsobutyrate2-Methylpropanoate88.11[[File:Isobutyric-acid.svg44pxright]]
C5:0Valeric acidPentanoic acidValeratePentanoate102.13[[File:Valeric acid acsv.svg51pxright]]
C5:0Isovaleric acid3-Methylbutanoic acidIsovalerate3-Methylbutanoate102.13[[File:Isovaleric acid structure.png51pxright]]
C5:02-Methylbutyric acid2-Methylbutanoic acid2-Methylbutanoate2-Methylbutanoate102.13[[File:2-Methylbutyric acid.svg51pxright]]

Functions

SCFAs are produced when dietary fiber is fermented in the colon. Acetate, propionate and butyrate are the three most common SCFAs. SCFAs and medium-chain fatty acids are primarily absorbed through the portal vein during lipid digestion, while long-chain fatty acids are packed into chylomicrons, enter lymphatic capillaries, then transfer to the blood at the subclavian vein.

SCFAs have diverse physiological roles in body functions, affecting the production of lipids, energy, and vitamins. Butyric acid supports large intestine health as the primary energy source for colonocytes – the epithelial cells of the colon.

References

References

  1. (1999). "Nutritional Biochemistry". Academic Press.
  2. (October 2015). "Short-chain fatty acids in control of body weight and insulin sensitivity". Nature Reviews. Endocrinology.
  3. (2000). "Fat Digestion and Absorption". The American Oil Chemists Society.
Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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