The structures of the principal glycerolipids of pig liver

The lipid composition of pig liver has been determined. The principal glycerolipids, i.e., triglycerides, phosphatdyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl inositol, were isolated and the positional distribution of fatty acids in each determined by stereospecific analysis procedures. Previous results for the triglycerides were confirmed, while the phospholipids were similar in structure to those found in most other animal livers. The triglycerides were separated into simpler molecular species by combinations of silver nitrate thin layer chromatography and high temperature gas liquid chromatography, but the proportions found did not agree well with those calculated assuming a 1-random, 2-random, 3-random arrangement. The phospholipids were hydrolyzed with phospholipase C and converted to diglyceride acetates that were fractionated into simpler molecular species by the same procedures as were used with triglycerides. Highly specific fatty acid combinations were found in molecular species, and these specificities were very similar to those reported in similar lipids from the livers of such disparate species as the rat and chicken.