Effect of diet on the rate of depletion of n-3 fatty acids in the retina of the guinea pig

Abstract

This study has assessed the influence of maternal n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supply and dietary manipulation after weaning on the retinal polyunsaturated fatty acid profile. Infant guinea pigs born of dams fed one of two commercial chow diets (differing in the amount of eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids) were raised in two separate experiments, and subsequently partitioned into two diet groups, one supplied with a high level of alpha-linolenic acid (canola oil supplemented), the other with a very low level of alpha-linolenic acid (safflower oil supplemented). Guinea pigs born of dams supplied with the longer chain n-3 fatty acids in the commercial p..