Lipids of hamster cheek pouch epithelium
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 31, 2026

Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells
Published on: March 21, 2025
S Whittle1, D C Swartzendruber, M Kremer
1Dows Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
Abstract:
The hamster cheek pouch is a much used but incompletely understood experimental model. In particular, the cheek pouch epithelial lipids, which are important for permeability barrier function as well as other aspects of epithelial biology, have not been completely characterized. In the present study, the complete lipid class composition has been determined by thin-layer chromatography in conjunction with photodensitometry. The major lipid classes were phospholipids, free sterols, and ceramides. Minor amounts of monohexosylceramides, sterol esters, fatty acids, and triglycerides were also present. Significant amounts of covalently bound omega-hydroxyceramide was also detected. Transmission electron micrographs reveal extensive, largely paired, lipid bilayers in the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum.
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