Discussion:
The goal of this experiment was to research and determine the effect of α-Linolenic Acid on the number lipid droplets in HeLa cells with a control of ethanol. The formed droplets were in greater numbers compared to the control. The average number of lipid droplets present with the α-Linolenic Acid was 245.333 droplets per cell, and the standard deviation was 48.111. On the other hand, the cells treated with ethanol, as excepted, did not produce high numbers of lipid droplets per cell. The average number was 0.6 lipid droplets and the standard deviation was 0.8. Based on the Student's t-test, the two conditions were significantly different. The p-value was 1.268 x 10^-13. The results from this experiment could lead to futher research in the effects of fatty acids on cancer cells. In past research, linolenic acid has not been a focus of study. However, one commonly used acid is Oleic acid. One study titled “Linkage between lipid droplet formation and nuclear deformation in HeLa human cervical cancer cells” studied Oleic acid and its effect on nuclear lipid droplets in cells. Researching Linolenic acid and its possible effect on nuclear lipid droplets could help further this study. Linolenic acid is a larger molecule as a whole and this could produce new conclusions throughout the realm of lipid droplets in HeLa cells because currently there is no research to our current knowledge.
Source:
Takir, G. G., Ohsaki, Y., Morotomi-Yano, K., Yano, K. I., & Saitoh, H. (2018, October 02). Linkage between lipid droplet formation and nuclear deformation in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30197005
Takir, G. G., Ohsaki, Y., Morotomi-Yano, K., Yano, K. I., & Saitoh, H. (2018, October 02). Linkage between lipid droplet formation and nuclear deformation in HeLa human cervical cancer cells. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30197005