Erythrocyte membranes in metabolic and neurological diseases—supplementation with fatty acids and membranes remodeling

The cell membrane is a fundamental part of each cell that builds the living organisms. It is made of phospholipids with different fatty acid (FA) residues whose structures have a great impact on regulation of the cell membrane functions. The oxidative stress conditions (including free radical stress) can change the conformation of natural unsaturated FAs from cis to trans. This situation brings response called membrane remodeling to the cell which leads to the change of FAs composition and the release of particular FA signaling molecules responsible for several molecular mechanisms. The cell membrane formation as well as remodeling processes are strongly connected with an individual diet and metabolic rates. Not all FAs can be synthesized by the cells; some of them must be provided with a diet, for example, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid which are the precursors of ω6 and ω3 FAs, respectively. Both of them belong to the polyunsaturated FAs whose insufficient level in the diet leads to disturbances in signal transduction and the formation of inflammatory mediators responsible for numerous disorders such as metabolomic or neurodegenerative diseases. The proper supplementation may be very important in this context.