Changes in monogalactosyl diacylglycerols, alkylgalactolipids and cerebroside fatty acid esters in maturing rat brain measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A newly developed high-performance liquid chromatography method was used to measure four nonpolar glycolipids in developing rat brain. The accumulation patterns of nonhydroxy- and hydroxycerebroside fatty acid esters were similar to those of myelin cerebrosides. In contrast, both monogalactosyl diacylglycerol and alkylgalactolipids reached maximal levels at the early stages of myelination.