Numerous studies have assessed the effects of single fatty acids on various aspects of lipid metabolism, particularly cancer. Established cell lines have largely been used for this purpose. The choice of control cells, however, has often been inappropriate. There is also a surprising lack of knowledge of the effects of fatty acids in the 'real world", in which normal cells in vivo are presented with mixtures of dietary fatty acids. Before transformed cells can be used as models of disease states, it is essential to fully understand fatty acid metabolism in normal (control) cells
