ELOVL5 (ELOVL fatty acid elongase 5) is an endoplasmic reticulum-bound enzyme that catalyzes the rate-limiting step in very long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) biosynthesis, specifically elongating polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) beyond 18 carbons 1. The enzyme shows highest activity toward C18:3(n-6) acyl-CoA and is essential for producing arachidonic acid and other long-chain PUFAs that serve as precursors for membrane lipids and signaling molecules 2. ELOVL5 expression is significantly upregulated in proliferating T-cells compared to resting cells, facilitating increased PUFA incorporation and metabolism during cell activation 1. The enzyme plays critical roles in multiple pathophysiological processes: it sensitizes cancer cells to ferroptosis by promoting synthesis of pro-ferroptotic PUFAs 23, and its deficiency accelerates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis through mitochondrial dysfunction and altered cardiolipin composition 4. In the nervous system, ELOVL5 deficiency causes cerebellar motor deficits by impairing synaptic vesicle replenishment and endocannabinoid signaling 5. Additionally, ELOVL5 functions as a super-enhancer-driven oncogene in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, promoting tumor progression through MYC signaling pathways 6. Mutations in ELOVL5 are associated with spinocerebellar ataxia 38, highlighting its importance in neurological function.