Abstract
Summary
The lipid composition of the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus was compared to that of its microsomal fraction and to that of muscle of the electric eel. Using column chromatography on silicic acid to separate the lipid extracts into nine lipid classes, it was found that the lipid composition of whole electric organ was identical to that of its microsomal fraction.
Muscle tissue differed from electric tissue mainly in its high content of triglycerides and cholesterol; less than 10% of the latter was esterified. The amounts of glycolipids and sphingolipids found in either electric organ or in muscle were small.
Some lipid fractions of electric organ and unfractionated lipid extracts formed bilayer membranes in the Rudin-Mueller system. Stability of the bilayers was optimal at 25-30°.
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