Lauric acid desaturation was investigated and described in liver homogenates and in cultured rat hepatocytes. The identification of the desaturated product of lauric acid has been performed using the oxidative cleavage method, and we showed that the obtained monoene was mainly 12:1n-3. This result suggests that lauric acid desaturation could be the first step in the biosynthesis of alpha-linolenic acid in animal cells.