Fatty Acids are Transported into M Itochondria

Question

Fatty acids are transported into m itochondria
A) As fatty acyl CoA
B) As free fatty acids
C) As monoglycerides
D) As diglyceride
E) As fatty acyl carnitine

Accepted Answer

Fatty acids are transported into mitochondria as fatty acyl carnitine. This is because fatty acyl CoA cannot cross the mitochondrial membrane directly. Instead, it is converted to fatty acyl carnitine by carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) in the outer mitochondrial membrane, which then crosses into the mitochondrial matrix where it is converted back to fatty acyl CoA by carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II) for further metabolism.