Lipid (IMAGE)

Harvard University

Lipid

Caption

In situ monitoring uptake of omega-3 fatty acids by mammalian cells. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), are known to provide health benefits but can only be ingested through diet. We used SRS microcopy to selectively image EPA by tuning into the characteristic Raman band at 3015cm-1 (right image in purple), which is distinctly different from the band at 2930cm-1 for both saturated and unsaturated lipids (left image in red). One can see how EPA is actively ingested from the culturing media and enriched in lipid droplets (right image) whereas saturated lipids are distributed in many other organelles (left image). This capability allows the metabolism of Omega-3 fatty acids to be studied in real time in a live cell.

Credit

Wei Min and Chris Freudiger, Harvard University

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