Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Analysis of diet‐induced fatty acid changes in the major phospholipids of various immune cell populations has not been previously documented, particularly modifications induced by dietary α‐linolenic acid. Rats were fed purified diets containing either 10% corn oil (CO), 10% linseed oil (LO) or 10% soybean oil‐linseed mixture (SL) for 8 weeks. The α‐linolenic to linoleic acid ratios of the diets were 1∶32, 1∶1 and 3∶1, respectively. Fatty acid analysis of cell populations isolated from the spleen, thymus, thoracic cavity and peripheral blood phospholipids showed increases in ω3 fatty acids accompanied by decreases in the ω6 fatty acids when diets high in α‐linolenic to linoleic acid ratios were fed. The extent of change observed was dependent on the magnitude of the α‐linolenic to linoleic acid ratio. Both magnitude of change and the specific fatty acids altered varied with the cell population examined.</jats:p>