Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 2, 335-341, October 1961
Copyright © 1961 by Lipid Research, Inc.
Fatty acids of human brain cerebrosides
Norman S. Radin and Yukio Akahori
Biochemistry Department, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago 11, Illinois, and Mental Health Research Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Four regions of two human brains were analyzed for the individual cerebroside acids: cerebral cortex white and gray matter, cerebellum (mainly gray matter), and corpus callosum. The total lipids were extracted from each section and passed through a column of Florisil to remove cholesterol and phosphatides. The crude cerebrosides were next passed through a column of mixed ion exchange resins to remove cerebroside sulfate and then purified by elution from a silicic-acid column. The acids were cleaved from the cerebrosides and separated into four classes: normal saturated, hydroxy saturated, normal unsaturated, and hydroxy unsaturated. The individual acids were then analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. The cerebroside content of each brain region differed somewhat, as did the relative contents of hydroxy acids. However, the distribution of the acids within each class was rather independent of brain location. The normal saturated acids contained stearic and lignoceric as the major acids, but fairly large amounts of the C22, C23, and C25 acids were also present. The hydroxy saturated acids were similar, but contained little hydroxystearic acid. The unsaturated acids of both classes contained the C24 acid as the major constituent, together with considerable amounts of the C25 and C26 acids.
Submitted on February 28, 1961
CiteULike 
Complore 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us 
Digg 
Reddit 
Technorati What's this?
