Fatty-acid flow
Activation, mitochondrial entry, synthesis and staged oxidation of fatty-acid carbon.
A fatty acid must normally be activated as an acyl-CoA before many downstream reactions. For long chains, the carnitine shuttle transfers the acyl group while CoA pools remain compartmentalized.
Each beta-oxidation turn contains a repeated chemical motif, but chain length, unsaturation and organelle context introduce distinct supporting enzymes. A repeated visual rhythm should not erase those branches.
Ideas to carry into the map
- Activation precedes most acyl chemistry.
- Carnitine transfers acyl groups across mitochondrial membranes.
- Unsaturation and chain length create real branches.
Pathways in this field note
The broad human network for fatty-acid synthesis, activation, elongation, desaturation and degradation.
Coenzyme-A ligation that activates fatty acids for downstream transformation.
Transfer of long-chain acyl groups across mitochondrial membranes through carnitine-linked intermediates.
Repeated dehydrogenation, hydration, oxidation and thiolysis that shortens mitochondrial fatty acyl-CoA species.
Source-linked very long-chain acyl-CoA synthesis.
Source-linked peroxisomal lipid reactions.