Phospholipid distribution in blood and tissues of some submammalian species.

The pattern of phospholipid distribution in blood and tissues such as liver, heart, and kidney of four representative species of fish, toad, turtle, and pigeon has been studied. The percentage of phosphatidylcholine in plasma was similar, but in erythrocytes the difference was striking. Ethanolamine and serine plasmalogens were absent in the plasma of all the species. In erythrocytes the highest concentration of phosphatidylethanolamine was noted in the toad. The greatest difference in sphingomyelin and plasmalogen concentrations was found between toad and turtle erythrocytes.In the liver, phosphatidylcholine accounted for more than 55% of the total lipid phosphorus. The percentage of all individual phospholipids except sphingomyelin in kidney was comparable in all the species.