Influence of dietary sources of fat on lipid synthesis in mink (Mustela vison) mammary tissue.

1. The fatty acid composition of the triglyceride fraction of mink milk sampled during mid-lactation (day 28 post partum) from two nursing mink was compared to that of plasma samples and to the fatty acid composition of the feed rations used. 2. Chemical analysis of the triglyceride composition of mink milk demonstrated only minute concentrations of fatty acids with a chain length below C14. 3. The saturated C16:0- and C18:0-unit fatty acids in mink milk made up for 24-40% of the total amount of fatty acids extracted, the remainder being represented by mono and polyunsaturated long-chain (C16-C24) fatty acids. 4. Preliminary in vitro experiments proved the incorporation of 14C-labelled glucose, acetate or palmitate into triacylglycerols in cultures of mink mammary tissue to be linear for at least 2 hr. 5. The in vitro capacity for de novo fatty acid synthesis in mink mammary tissue using 14C-labelled glucose or acetate was low, i.e. ranging from 0.096-0.109 nmol/g (fresh tissue)/min, and amounted to only about 5% of that obtained in the case of [14C]palmitic acid incubation. 6. Following 14C-labelled acetic or palmitic acid incubation of mink mammary tissue neither desaturation nor chain elongation was observed. 7. In response to long-term feeding on rations with two different sources of animal fat (F = fish oil or L = lard) the influence of compositional changes in dietary neutral lipids on the fatty acid composition of the lipids of mink milk is discussed.