[A micromethod for determining total lipids in lymphocytes and other biological material]

A micromethod, developed for estimation of total lipids in lymphocytes, other blood cells and body tissues, involved extraction of lymphocyte suspension with chloroform-methanol mixture, elimination of non-lipid impurities by means of the extract washing, concentration of the lipid fraction and hydrolysis of dry pellet in minimal volume of concentrated H2SO4. After reaction of the hydrolyzate with phosphorus-vanilin reagent the colour intensity of the reaction products was measured. The procedure described was sensitive and enabled to estimate lipids in minimal volume of biological material; in the lymphocyte fraction isolated from 2 ml of peripheric blood total lipids were measured with accuracy of 1-2 mg.