Definition of Arachidonic acid

1. Noun. (fatty acid) A long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, having 20 carbon atoms and four double bonds, found in animal fats; it is essential for human nutrition, being a precursor to the production of prostaglandins. ¹



¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Medical Definition of Arachidonic acid

1. An essential dietary component for mammals. The free acid is the precursor for biosynthesis of prostaglandins, thromboxanes, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid derivatives including leucotrienes and is thus of great biological significance. Within cells the acid is found in the esterified form as a major acyl component of membrane phospholipids (especially phosphatidyl inositol) and its release from phospholipids is thought to be the limiting step in the formation of its active metabolites. This entry appears with permission from the Dictionary of Cell and Molecular Biology (22 Feb 2008)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Arachidonic Acid

arabs
araceous
arachic acid
arachidic
arachidic acid
arachidonate
arachidonate 12-lipoxygenase
arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase
arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase
arachidonate 8-lipoxygenase
arachidonate epoxygenase
arachidonate lipoxygenases
arachidonate monooxygenase
arachidonates
arachidonic
arachidonic acid (current term)
arachidonic acid 18-hydroxylase
arachidonic acid cascade
arachidonoyl
arachidonoyl coenzyme A lysophosphatide acyltransferase
arachidonoylethanolamide synthase
arachidonyl transacylase
arachis oil
arachises
arachnephobia
arachnerd
arachnerds
arachnicide
arachnicides
arachnid

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