High-performance thin-layer chromatographic analysis of neutral lipids and phospholipids in the apple snailPomacea bridgesii

Abstract

Neutral lipids and phospholpids in the apple snail Pomacea bridgesii have been determined in the whole body, digestive gland-gonad complex (DGG), viscera, head-foot, shell, operculum, plasma, and hemocytes by high-performance thin-layer chromatography on silica gel plates. Plates were developed with petroleum ether-diethyl ether-glacial acetic acid, 80 + 20 + 1 ( v/v ), as mobile phase and sprayed with 5% phosphomolybdic acid to detect neutral lipids. Plates were developed with chloroform-methanol-water, 65 + 25 + 4 ( v/v ), and sprayed with 10% cupric sulfate to detect phospholipids. Triacylglycerols, free sterols, free fatty acids, steryl esters, phosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylethanolamine were the major lipid fractions detected in the whole body, DGG, viscera, and head-foot. The major lipid fractions in the shell and operculum were free sterols and free fatty acids. The plasma and hemocytes contained free fatty acids as the major lipid fraction. The presence of these lipids suggests they are impo...