/oh mee"geuh three", oh may"-, oh meg"euh-/
a polyunsaturated fatty acid, essential for normal retinal function, that influences various metabolic pathways, resulting in lowered cholesterol and triglyceride levels, inhibited platelet clotting, and reduced inflammatory and immune reactions. Also called n-3 fatty acid .
[ so named because its 1st double bond occurs after the 3d carbon atom counting from the methyl or omega end of the molecule ]