Studies on the phospholipids of rat brain which contain glyceryl ethers

Abstract

1. 1. The phospholipids of rat brain which are stable to mild alkaline and acid hydrolysis were examined quantitatively. The glyceryl ether form of phosphatidyl ethanolamine (acyl alkyl glycerylphosphorylethanolamine) contains 3.1% of the rat-brain lipid phosphorus and accounts for most of the glyceryl ethers present in the phospholipids. The presence of the acyl group was confirmed by acetolysis of the purified ethanolamine phospholipids. 2. 2. Some evidence for the presence of dialkyl glycerylphosphorylethanolamine and alkyl glycerylphosphorylcholine in small amounts was also obtained. 3. 3. The methods used for mild hydrolysis in these studies are suitable for determination of labelled phosphorus, ethanolamine or choline incorporation into diacyl, acyl alkenyl, and acyl alkyl types of glycerophospholipids.