Metabolism and functions of phosphatides specific fatty acid composition of the red blood cell membranes

Abstract

In attempting to establish a specific lipid composition of biological interfaces, the fatty acid composition of the lipid moiety of the red cell membrane of a number of mammals was determined by means of gas-liquid chromatography. A rather constant and characteristic fatty acid pattern proved to occur in the membranes of the red cells of each species. Quantitatively striking differences were found between the fatty acid compositions of the red cell membranes of the various mammals. Most pronounced were differences in the palmitic acid and oleic acid content. A gradual decrease in the ratio palmitic acid-oleic acid was shown in the red cell membranes of: rat, man, rabbit, pig, horse, ox and sheep in that order. Since this arrangement rather resembled the sequence based on permeability properties of these membranes taken from the literature, a possible relationship between fatty acid composition and permeability of membranes is discussed.