General description

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is abundantly present in the brain.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid with 22 carbons and six double bonds, the first double bond occurring at position three from the methyl terminus (22:6 n-3). It is a component of lipid membranes and myelin sheath.

Application

cis-4,7,10,13,16,19-Docosahexaenoic acid has been used:

as a component in Dulbecco′s modified Eagle medium (DMEM) for culturing cells to perform docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) treatment
to study its impact on human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neuronal at a molecular and cellular level
in MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] assay to study its cytotoxic effects on three human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines (HepG2, Hep3B, Huh7)

Biochem/physiol Actions

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) participates in the growth and physiology of the central nervous system. It regulates adult neurogenesis and neuroplasticity. DHA plays a key role in fetal brain development. It may exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. DHA plays a role in the regulation of cell membrane fluidity. It plays a vital role in several brain development processes, including neurotransmitter release, gene expression, myelination, neuroinflammation, and neuronal differentiation. DHA possesses an anticancer effect in several types of cancer.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) serves as a precursor for signaling molecules such as prostaglandins and eicosanoids.