Palmitate calcium salt is a common 16-carbon saturated fat that represents 10-20% of the normal dietary fat intake. It also makes up approximately 25% of the total plasma fatty acids in plasma lipoproteins. Saturated free fatty acids induce the expression of cyclooxygenase 2,2 and after protein acylation are used to confer lipid anchoring to a variety of signaling molecules. Palmitate is the salt (in this case calcium) of palmitic acid. It is this anion that is observed at physiological pH and is one of the major components of gallstones.
