[Lipid composition of rat liver microsomes under various experimental conditions]

Cholesterol and phospholipid content, and phospholipid composition (sphingomyelin, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylethaolamine) were assayed in rat liver microsomes during regeneration, foetal development and pregnancy. Cholesterol was assayed using Liebermann-Buchard reagent; the phospholipid extract was separated by thin-layer chromatography. While in pregnancy no changes were observed, during foetal development and liver regeneration there was a significative decrease of cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, and of phosphatidylcholine content. Moreover, in developing liver microsomes, there is also a significative increase of sphingomyelin and phosphatidylserine + phosphatidylinositol.