Total fatty acids of human liver in relation to age, sex and pathology

Lipids were extracted from 28 "normal", 3 fatty and 2 cirrhotic adult livers removed at necropsy as well as from 4 newborn and infant organs. The total fatty acids were processed, the methyl esters submitted to gas chromatographic analysis and the acid differences ascertained relative to age, sex and pathology. Among other significant findings, the unsaturated acids ranged higher than the saturated homologs and were even greater in the fatty liver lipids. The latter showed an increase in 18:1 and depressions in 18:0, 22:0 and 24:0 as compared to the "normal" specimens and the same changes in 18:0 and 18:1 as contrasted to the cirrhotic lipids.