Manipulation of the phospholipid composition of tissue culture cells

Methods have been devised to significantly alter the phospholipid composition of LM cells grown in serum-free tissue culture medium. The polar head groups of the phospholipids, as well as the acyl groups of these lipids, can be changed. When LM cells were grown in medium containing choline analogues, either N-methyl-ethanolamine or N,N-dimethylethanolamine, or the unnatural analogues, 1-2-amino-1-butanol or 3-amino-1-propanol, up to 50% of the cellular phospholipids contained the analogue supplied. When linoleate was added to the cells as a bovine serum albumin complex, up to 40% of the fatty acids of the phospholipids were linoleate. Under the conditions discussed, the polar head group composition, the fatty acid composition, or both together could be varied in the membrane phospholipids.