Discussion: An Overall Summary
Because data indicates that fish oil supplementation helps bovine luteal cells to maintain a higher mitochondrial membrane potential than vegetable oil or control medium when the cells are exposed to hypoxic conditions, the hypothesis was supported. At hour 24 under the 5% oxygenated conditions, the mitochondria of cells treated with fish oil had brighter fluorescence than those treated with either the vegetable oil or the BSA, indicating that they were maintaining a higher membrane potential. Moreover, the comparison between hour 0 and hour 24 of 5% oxygen treatment confocal data shows that the hypoxia had negative effects on the cells: the BSA treated cells were noticeably more fluorescent at hour 0 than at hour 24 of hypoxia.
Although the cells treated with vegetable oil were fluorescent at hour 24, they were not as fluorescent as the cells treated with fish oil at hour 24 or as fluorescent as they were at hour 0. This could be because fish oil contains two fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA ) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which may play an important role in cellular physiology.1 In contrast, vegetable oil does not contain any omega-3 fatty acids. It should be noted that between hour 0 and hour 24 in 20% oxygenated conditions, there was not a large change in mitochondrial fluorescence (with the exception of the CCCP treatment group) for any of the treated cells.
Although the cells treated with vegetable oil were fluorescent at hour 24, they were not as fluorescent as the cells treated with fish oil at hour 24 or as fluorescent as they were at hour 0. This could be because fish oil contains two fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA ) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which may play an important role in cellular physiology.1 In contrast, vegetable oil does not contain any omega-3 fatty acids. It should be noted that between hour 0 and hour 24 in 20% oxygenated conditions, there was not a large change in mitochondrial fluorescence (with the exception of the CCCP treatment group) for any of the treated cells.