Page 328 - Biochemistry PharmD General
P. 328
Fatty acid oxidation
Fatty acids are degraded to acetyl CoA
• Fatty acids enter tissue cells in need of energy.
• Fatty acids must pass through the mitochondrial
membrane to be oxidized and to produce energy.
• The passage cannot occur until the fatty acid is
converted to its thioester with CoA. The product of
this reaction is fatty acyl CoA.
• This is known as activation of fatty acid. Fatty acids
must be activated before they are degraded to
produce energy.
• Fatty acids are activated in the cytosol, but oxidation
occurs in the mitochondria. 327
