Acylcarnitine C16:1 Unit Converter

Acylcarnitine C16:1, also known as hexadecenoylcarnitine or palmitoleoylcarnitine, is a long-chain acylcarnitine formed when the 16-carbon monounsaturated fatty acid palmitoleic acid is attached to carnitine.

Acylcarnitines serve as transport molecules that shuttle long-chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane so they can be broken down through beta-oxidation to produce energy. C16:1 is one of many acylcarnitine species measured in an acylcarnitine profile.

When the enzymes responsible for breaking down long-chain fatty acids are impaired, C16:1 and other long-chain acylcarnitines can accumulate in the blood. Changes in its levels can reflect problems with fatty acid metabolism or mitochondrial function.

C16:1 acylcarnitine is formed in cells throughout the body when the enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I) attaches palmitoleic acid to carnitine. The liver, heart, and skeletal muscles are the primary sites of long-chain fatty acid oxidation and acylcarnitine production.