Fatty acid

<p>In <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a>, particularly in <a href="/facts/Biochemistry/fa2pWEBp">biochemistry</a>, a fatty acid is a <a href="/facts/Carboxylic_acid/U4xuMosy">carboxylic acid</a> with an <a href="/facts/Aliphatic/9usN3neo">aliphatic</a> chain, which is either <a href="/facts/Saturated_and_unsaturated_compounds/tde2C216">saturated or unsaturated</a>. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an <a href="/facts/Branched_chain_fatty_acids/q1NIRaJz">unbranched chain</a> of an even number of carbon atoms, from 4 to 28. Fatty acids are a major component of the lipids (up to 70% by weight) in some species such as microalgae but in some other organisms are not found in their standalone form, but instead exist as three main classes of <a href="/facts/Ester/FoUAIIw4">esters</a>: <a href="/facts/Triglyceride/BQmjv4A0">triglycerides</a>, <a href="/facts/Phospholipid/u6GhNCF5">phospholipids</a>, and <a href="/facts/Cholesteryl_ester/Tnkb4THM">cholesteryl esters</a>. In any of these forms, fatty acids are both important <a href="/facts/Diet_(nutrition)/7qzDHpop">dietary</a> sources of fuel for animals and important structural components for <a href="/facts/Cell_(biology)/bLM9UQvy">cells</a>.
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Fatty acid open-in-new

Fatty acid