Triglyceride formation

Triglyceride formation first requires the substrates, fatty acids and monoacylglycerol, to enter into the cell. For intestinal epithelial cells, this occurs through the processes of micelle absorption after digestion of dietary triglycerides by gastrointestinal lipases. For peripheral cells, the substrates enter after digestion of lipoprotein triglycerides by lipoprotein lipase enzymes on the surface of endothelia.

The steps involved include:

• conversion of fatty acids to acyl-CoA residues by acyl-CoA synthetase enzyme
• combination of monoacylglycerol with acylCoA by acylglycerol transferase
• combination of resulting diacylglycerol with acylCoA by diacylglycerol transferase enzyme to give triglyceride