Oxidation of fatty acids in man

Normal )3-oxidation occurs in the mitochondria in a cyclic process (Fig. 14.1) in which acyl-CoA derivatives formed within the mitochondria after transport from the cytosol as acyl-carnitine derivatives are firstly dehydrogenated by FAD-dependent acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Four acyl-CoA dehydrogenases are known, acting on fatty acyl-CoA derivatives of different chain lengths. The dehydroacyl-CoA derivatives are then hydrated via the action of enoyl-CoA hydratase stereospecifically to L-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA metabolites which are then dehydrogenated to the corresponding 3-keto derivatives. A 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (Chapter 12) then acts to remove a two-carbon unit as acetyl-CoA and form a shorter Co A which then re-enters the cycle. 

ETF= electron transfer flavoprotem Fig. 14.1 )8-Oxidation of fatty acids in man. 

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