Talk:Eicosapentaenoic acid/Comments

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[edit] Quality and Priority

I judge EPA's priority (importance) to to be 'High', as it gets a pretty good amount of mention in the popular press. However, most of what makes it that important is well covered at related articles (eicosanoid, fish oil...).

I judge it's quality to be Start. It has some basic info and some citations. Some of what it's lacking:

• first elucidation of its structure.(who, when)
• Characterization of its physical properties (who, when)
• Demonstration that it is an essential fatty acid
• Biosynthetic paths in microalgae (the ultimate source of much dietary EPA)
• Biosynthesis in the human body for ALA
  • An issue where there's some controversy and contradictory findings. Can adult humans synthesize adequate EPA from ALA?
• Commerce in EPA as a food additive and supplement
• Rancidity
• Use in treatment/prevention of various diseases
  • alone or in combination with DHA
• At least an intro to its role as a precursor to the classic and nonclassic eicosanoids
• Role as a signaling molecule in DNA transcription.
• Role in lipid membranes
• Presence/Role in the brain.
• Role in pregnancy/lactation
• Pictures, diagrams
  • A space filling model would be nice
  • UV, Mass-spec spectra
  • Picture of a lipid raft

David.Throop 14:47, 4 November 2007 (UTC)