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The metabolism of neutral and polar lipids in eleuthero‐embryos and starving larvae of the African catfish Clarias gariepinw
Author(s) -
Verreth J.,
Custers G.,
Melger W.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1994.tb01066.x
Subject(s) - yolk , biology , catfish , clarias gariepinus , hatching , phosphatidylcholine , zoology , lipid metabolism , phosphatidylethanolamine , yolk sac , reproduction , larva , clarias , phospholipid , biochemistry , embryo , food science , botany , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , fishery , membrane
Lipid class analysis was carried out on developing eggs, eleuthero‐embryos (yolk sac larvae) and starving larvae of the freshwater species Clarias gariepinus , using thin layer chromatography. Samples were taken at fixed intervals from a large pool of fertilized eggs obtained through induced reproduction of several parent fish. The total lipid content of fertilized eggs fluctuated around 22% of the dry weight and decreased from 21% at hatching to about 12–5% at yolk absorption. In starving larvae, the amount of total lipid per individual remained relatively constant. Polar lipids [phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE)] together accounted for 73·6 to 80% of total lipid. PC was by far the most abundant lipid class during the entire experimental period (70–75% of total lipid). PC was catabolized proportionally to total lipid, demonstrating its role as the main energy supplier. All yolk PE was converted to body tissue. The neutral Hpids consisted of triglycerides (TAG), cholesterol and cholesteryl esters (respectively 12·5, 10 and 3% of total lipid in newly fertilized eggs). All TAG were depleted before complete yolk absorption.