The Carnitine Shuttle Cytosol Mitochondrial Fatty Acid Transport Fatty acid transport into mitochondria by carnitine transporter Short Note On Carnitine Shuttle: Fatty acids are oxidized in mitochondria, and synthesized in the cytoplasm. Long chain fatty acids must form an active intermediate, fatty acyl CoA, before being oxidized inside mitochondria. Catherine The Science of Carnitine: How It Works and Why It Matters