The Tie That Binds: Eicosanoids in Invertebrate Biology

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Eicosanoids are oxygenated compounds formed from C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids by reactions involving at least 1 step of mono- or dioxygenase-dependent oxidation. These compounds have been detected in species representing all major animal taxa including numerous insect species. Although these compounds are best understood in human biology where they have immense clinical medicinal significance, they are now recognized as universally important to all life forms. Indeed, these compounds appear to have been recruited into roles as biological signaling moieties long before the origin of the Metazoa. During the ensuing evolutionary diversification of animals, eicosanoids have been commandeered into a plethora of biological roles, some of which are known only from invertebrates. In this review we provide a brief chemical overview of the diversity of eicosanoids that have been discovered and discuss a number of physiological, behavioral and ecological systems where these compounds have been shown to be of major importance. Our discussions are couched in terms of comparative biology, and where it is appropriate, include evolutionary speculations.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: