Determination of total intracellular lipid content by flow cytofluorometry

It was demonstrated that perylenoyl-labeled triglyceride, rac-1,2-dioleoyl-3-[9(3-perylenoyl)nonanoyl]glycerol (PLTG), specifically stains the intracellular lipids in formalin-fixed and non-fixed cells in situ and in suspension. The fluorescence of labeled cells was registered on a FACS-II cytofluorometer. It was found that the mean intensity of fluorescence in PLTG-labeled cells of various types, both fixed and non-fixed, correlates with their total lipid content. There was no correlation, however, between the mean intensity of fluorescence and intracellular levels of lipids belonging to different classes: phospholipids, triglycerides, cholesterol or cholesteryl esters.