Skin surface lipids of the mink

Skin surface lipids from mink (Mustela vison) were collected in acetone and analyzed by thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography. The principal components were wax monoesters (92%), cholesteryl esters (5%), free fatty acids (1%), fatty alcohols (1%) and cholesterol (1%). The fatty acids and alcohols contained in these lipids were composed principally of homologous series of straight chained omega 7-unsaturated structures (C16-C24), accompanied by lesser proportions of homologous series of saturated (C14-C22) and omega 9-unsaturated (C18-C22) structures.