Omega-3 Fatty Acids and the DHA Principle.

Edited by R.C. Valentine, , D.L. Valentine. . 2010, pp. 249, £99.00, ISBN: 978-1-4398-1299-0. CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL, USA.

This volume explores the roles of omega-3 fatty acids in cellular membranes ranging from human neurons and swimming sperm to deep sea bacteria, and develops a principle by which to assess their benefits and risks.

The DHA Principle states that the blending of lipids to form cellular membranes is evolutionarily-honed to maximize benefit while minimizing risk, and that a complex blending code involving conformational dynamics, energy stress, energy yield, and chemical stability underlies all cellular membranes. This book lays the groundwork to understanding this code. It examines the evolution of DHA and the membrane and explores the general properties of omega-3s and other membrane lipids. It then focuses on cellular biology before shifting to a practical discussion on applications. The authors discuss the DHA Principle as applied to petroleum degradation, winemaking, global warming, molecular farming, aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and the prevention of colon cancer.

Reflecting the increased public interest that has emerged over the years, this volume uses an integrative approach to explain the complex roles of omega-3s in the membrane. Incorporating principles from chemistry, cellular biology, evolution, and ecology, this work gives researchers in a variety of fields the building blocks to stimulate further study.