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Translocation of long chain fatty acids across the plasma membrane – lipid rafts and fatty acid transport proteins

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Abstract

Translocation of long chain fatty acids across the plasma membrane is achieved by a concert of co-existing mechanisms. These lipids can passively diffuse, but transport can also be accelerated by certain membrane proteins as well as lipid rafts. Lipid rafts are dynamic assemblies of proteins and lipids, that float freely within the two dimensional matrix of the membrane bilayer. They are receiving increasing attention as devices that regulate membrane function in vivo and play an important role in membrane trafficking and signal transduction. In this review we will discuss how lipid rafts might be involved in the uptake process and how the candidate proteins for fatty acid uptake FAT/CD36 and the FATP proteins interact with these domains. We will also discuss the functional role of FATPs in general. To our understanding FATPs are indirectly involved in the translocation process across the plasma membrane by providing long chain fatty acid synthetase activity.

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Abbreviations

LCAFs:

long chain fatty acids

FATP:

fatty acid transport protein

DRM:

detergent resistant membrane

CAVDGV :

dominant negative caveolin-1 mutant

SSO:

sulfo-N-succinimidyl oleate

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine IV (Gastroenterology), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany

    Robert Ehehalt, Joachim Füllekrug, Jürgen Pohl, Axel Ring, Thomas Herrmann & Wolfgang Stremmel

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University of Heidelberg, INF 410, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Robert Ehehalt

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  1. Robert Ehehalt
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  2. Joachim Füllekrug
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  3. Jürgen Pohl
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  5. Thomas Herrmann
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  6. Wolfgang Stremmel
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Correspondence to Robert Ehehalt.

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Ehehalt, R., Füllekrug, J., Pohl, J. et al. Translocation of long chain fatty acids across the plasma membrane – lipid rafts and fatty acid transport proteins. Mol Cell Biochem 284, 135–140 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-005-9034-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11010-005-9034-1

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