The study looked at how two types of omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA, affect the development of fat cells. They found that DHA, but not EPA, helped fat cells mature more effectively. DHA also increased the release of a hormone that helps regulate metabolism and reduced inflammation. Cells treated with DHA stored more DHA in their membranes, while cells treated with EPA stored both EPA and another fatty acid. Adding this other fatty acid to DHA blocked its beneficial effects. These results suggest that DHA and EPA have different effects on fat cell development, possibly due to how they are processed inside the cells.