Acylcarnitine C18:2 Unit Converter

Acylcarnitine C18:2, also called linoleoylcarnitine, is a long-chain acylcarnitine formed when the essential fatty acid linoleic acid (an 18-carbon fatty acid with two double bonds) is attached to carnitine for transport into the mitochondria.

Long-chain fatty acids cannot enter the mitochondria on their own. They must first be converted into acylcarnitines by the carnitine shuttle system so they can cross the inner mitochondrial membrane and be broken down for energy through beta-oxidation.

C18:2 is measured as part of a plasma acylcarnitine profile. When fatty acid oxidation is working normally, only small amounts of long-chain acylcarnitines circulate in the blood. Elevated levels suggest that fatty acid breakdown may be impaired.

C18:2 is produced in the mitochondrial outer membrane when the enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I) attaches carnitine to linoleoyl-CoA, a derivative of linoleic acid obtained from dietary fats.