ABSTRACT
The effect of dietary lipids on the lipid composition and functional properties of biological membranes is of considerable health and physiological significance. Normal cell function depends on a multitude of membrane-associated events, and perturbance of some of these membrane reactions may be a key event in the initiation and progression of many diseased states. 1 , 2 Two separate effects of dietary lipids on cellular membranes have to be considered: (1) the quantity of lipid ingested and (2) the type of lipid ingested. We will consider predominantly how the type of lipid ingested affects membranes, but the level of fat also exerts an influence. Most attention has focused on the amount of cholesterol and the types of fatty acids ingested.
