Biochemistry · Molecule
Palmitate (palmitic acid) !
Palmitate is the 16-carbon saturated fatty acid the body makes and the most common one in human fat.
Updated 2026-11-01
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Key facts
- End product of fatty acid synthase: 8 acetyl-CoA, 7 ATP and 14 NADPH.
- Its complete β-oxidation yields about 106 net ATP: 7 turns, 8 acetyl-CoA.
- To enter the mitochondrion it is activated to palmitoyl-CoA and crosses as palmitoylcarnitine.
- At physiological pH it exists as the anion (palmitate); in blood it travels bound to albumin.
- Also called
- Hexadecanoic acid, C16:0
- Formula
- C₁₆H₃₂O₂
- PubChem
- CID 985
Structure
- A straight chain of 16 carbons with no double bonds and a carboxyl group at one end.
- Desaturases and elongases turn it into stearate (C18:0), palmitoleate and oleate.
Clinical notes
- Dietary saturated fats such as palmitate are linked to higher LDL.
- It is the main fatty acid of lung surfactant (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine).
Pathways
Related conditions
Related
- Fatty acid synthase (FAS)
- Acetyl-CoA
- Carnitine (L-carnitine)
- Carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT-I)
- Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL)
- Malonyl-CoA
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
How many net ATP does complete β-oxidation of palmitate give?
About 106: 108 from 7 FADH₂, 7 NADH and 8 acetyl-CoA, minus 2 for activation.
Which fatty acid forms most of lung surfactant?
Palmitate, in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine.
In what form does palmitate cross the inner mitochondrial membrane?
As palmitoylcarnitine, through carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase.
Molecules are shown in their neutral form, as the databases deposit them; in the cell the acids and phosphates are ionised.
Educational information, not medical advice. For any symptom, see a health professional.
Sources: Palmitic Acid (CID 985) (PubChem, NCBI, 2026) · Public domain; Fatty acyl-CoA biosynthesis (Reactome, 2026); mitochondrial fatty acid beta-oxidation of saturated fatty acids (Reactome, 2026).
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