Very long chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are important components of various lipid classes in most organisms, from bacteria to higher plants and mammals, including humans. VLCFAs, or very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLCPUFAs), can be defined as fatty acids with 23 or more carbon atoms in the molecule. The main emphasis in this review is on the analysis of these acids, including obtaining standards from natural sources or their synthesis. Furthermore, the occurrence and analysis of these compounds in both lower (bacteria, invertebrates) and higher organisms (flowering plants or mammals) are discussed in detail. Attention is paid to their biosynthesis, especially the elongation of very long chain fatty acids protein (ELOVL4). This review deals with papers describing these very interesting compounds, whose chemical, biochemical and biological properties have not been fully explored.

极长链脂肪酸 (VLCFA) 是大多数生物体中各种脂质类别的重要成分，从细菌到高等植物和哺乳动物，包括人类。VLCFA 或超长链多不饱和脂肪酸 (VLCPUFA) 可定义为分子中具有 23 个或更多碳原子的脂肪酸。本综述的主要重点是分析这些酸，包括从天然来源或其合成中获取标准。此外，还详细讨论了这些化合物在低等生物（细菌、无脊椎动物）和高等生物（开花植物或哺乳动物）中的出现和分析。关注它们的生物合成，特别是超长链脂肪酸蛋白（ELOVL4）的延伸。这篇评论涉及描述这些非常有趣的化合物的论文，其化学，