Translations:Docosahexaenoic acid/12/en

A "Sprecher's shunt" hypothesis, proposed in 1991, postulates that EPA is twice elongated to 24:5 ω-3, then desaturated to 24:6 ω-3 (via delta 6 desaturase) in the mitochondria, then shortened to DHA (22:6 ω-3) via beta oxidation in the peroxisome. The hypothesis became accepted for a while because scientists have (until 2015) long tried and failed to find a Δ4-desaturase in mammals. However, the shunt model does not match clinical data, specifically as patients with beta oxidation defects do not display issues in DHA synthesis. With the identification of a Δ4-desaturase, it is considered outdated.