Phospholipids of the sea anemone: Quantitative distribution; absence of carbon-phosphorus linkages in glycerol phospholipids; structural elucidation of ceramide aminoethylphosphonate

The phospholipid composition of the sea anemone (Anthopleura elegantissima) was determined by quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Phosphonic acids were not detected in phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, or phosphatidyl serine following isolation and hydrolysis. The structure of ceramide aminoethylphosphonate, a phosphonolipid, was elucidated by hydrolysis and oxidative degradation followed by characterization of the products by TLC and gas-liquid chromatography. The long-chain base was shown to be sphingosine with the 2-aminoethylphosphonic acid group attached through the primary hydroxyl group at carbon one. Ceramide aminoethylphosphonate is therefore 1-(O-phosphonoethylamine)-N-acyl sphingosine.

Laboratory contaminants in lipid chemistry: Detection by thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectrophotometry and some procedures minimizing their occurrence

Many sources of contamination for lipid preparations exist in the laboratory. These contaminants can be detected using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and infrared spectroscopy. Numerous components that are potential contaminants and can lead to false analyses were demonstrated by TLC in laboratory soaps, cleaners, hand creams and lotions, hair tonics, laboratory greases, floor waxes, oil vapors, tobacco smoke, hydrocarbon phases for gas-liquid chromatography, etc. Procedures preventing introduction of contaminants are presented including descriptions of equipment and precautions to eliminate or minimize contamination. These are useful in isolation of pure polar and nonpolar lipids.

Quantitative analysis of brain and spinach leaf lipids employing silicic acid column chromatography and acetone for elution of glycolipids

Quantitative elution of acidic and neutral glycolipids of brain and spinach leaves from silicic acid columns with acetone was demonstrated. Cerebrosides and sulfatides of brain and sulfolipid and glycosyl diglycerides of spinach leaves were eluted quantitatively with acetone while prospholipids remained on the column. The observations provide the basis for an analytical procedure employing column and quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Sephadex column chromatography is utilized for separation of lipids from nonlipids; silicic acid column chromatography for separation into neutral lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid fractions; and quantitative TLC for analysis of lipid classes of each column fraction.

Perspectives on the nursing management of osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a daily presence in the lives of almost 16 million older people. Without expert nursing care, functional health status and the ability to manage independently may be dramatically altered. Nursing parameters include pain control, medication assessment, use of exercise, diet, joint protection, and attention to the psychosocial factors that affect both pain and disability. Patient education with regular, periodic follow-up is a vital part of successful long-term management.

Composition of lipids bound to pure cytochrome P-450 of cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria

Phospholipids bound to highly purified cytochrome P-450 from bovine adrenocortical mitochondria, part of the enzyme complex responsible for catalyzing the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, have been examined for comparison with the bulk phospholipids of the mitochondria from the same tissue. In both cases, the major phospholipids are phosphatidylcholine (PC) (37%) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) (56%), as well as smaller amounts of sphingomyelin and diphosphatidylglycerol. The fatty acid compositions of the four classes of phospholipids and of the neutral lipids bound to the pure enzyme are indistinguishable from those of the respective mitochondrial lipids. They are also similar to those of mitochondria from other organs except for high levels of arachidonate and low levels of diphosphatidylglycerol.

Lipid composition of mitochondria from bovine heart, liver, and kidney

Highly purified preparations of mitochondria from bovine heart, liver, and kidney were isolated and characterized by electron microscopy, oxidative phosphorylation ability, cytochrome c reductase activity, and cytochrome content. Components of lipid extracts of the preparations were determined by thin-layer chromatography, diethylaminoethyl-cellulose column chromatography, and spectrophotometric procedures. The major phospholipids were identified by their chromatographic behavior, IR spectrometry, and paper chromatography of their hydrolysis products. The lipid content of the mitochondria paralleled that of the components of the electron transfer chain, heart mitochondria being richest and liver mitochondria poorest in lipid. Heart mitochondria contain equal concentrations of coenzyme Q and cholesterol (1%); the highest cholesterol content (4.7%) was found in mitochondria from kidney. The phospholipids of mitochondria from the three organs were qualitatively and quantitatively very similar. The major polar lipid components (cardiolipin, choline glycerophosphatides, and ethanolamine glycerophosphatides) were present in a molar ratio of 1:4:4. It is suggested that mitochondria from different sources contain characteristic lipids, mainly phospholipids, of which cardiolipin is particularly diagnostic of the source of the mitochondria.

Lipid composition of beef heart ventricle

The lipid class composition of beef heart ventricle was determined by a combination of diethylaminoethyl cellulose column chromatography and quantitative thin-layer chromatography. Percentages of the total lipid were: triglyceride, 43.6; cholesterol, 7.4; phosphatidyl choline, 22.8; phingomyelin, 4.0; phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 11.2; diphosphatidyl glycerol, 5.8; phosphatidyl serine, 1.2; phosphatidyl inositol, 3.0; phosphatidyl glycerol, 0.9; unsaturated hydrocarbon, 0.02; saturated hydrocarbon, 0.20. Nonlipid components represented 33.6% of the crude chloroform/methanol extracts.

The isolation and partial characterization of gangliosides and ceramide polyhexosides from the lens of the human eye

The first isolation of glycolipids from the lens of the human eye is described. Neutral (ceramide polyhexosides) and acidic (gangliosides) glycolipids were separated by column chromatography and further resolved by thin-layer chromatography. The components were methanolyzed, converted to trimethyl silyl ethers and the ratios of the components determined. Two types of monosialogangliosides were found. The most abundant ganglioside contained long chain base/fatty acid/glucose/galactose/neuraminic acid in the ratio 1/1/1/2/1. The ratio of components of the minor ganglioside fraction was 1/1/1/1/1. Dihydrosphingosine was the major base and the major fatty acids were palmitate and nervonate. The ceramide polyhexosides all had a glucose/galactose molor ratio of 1/1 and the mixture of ceramide polyhexosides had a dihydrosphingosine/sphingosine molar ratio of 7.85. The fatty acids ranged from C(10) to C(25) with both odd and even carbon chains and were saturated or monounsaturated with palmitate, oleate, and nervonate predominating.