Changes in lipids and free fatty acid fractions in adult Haemonchus contortus during incubation in vitro.

Adult Haemonchus contortus (Rud., 1803) has been investigated for its ability to utilize lipids with regard to the total lipids, sterols, free fatty acids, acylglycerols and phospholipids produced during incubation in vitro. All these components exhibit extensive fluctuations, decreasing at some times and increasing at others, thus indicating both biosynthesis and utilization. Also, changes in fatty acid components of total lipids have been analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. These observations indicate that H. contortus is capable of utilizing 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 20:0, 20:un1, 20:un2, 21:0, 21:un1, 21:1, 21:un2, 22:un1, 22:3, 22:?, 22:un2 and 24:3 fatty acids. At the same time, because of large increases in 15:0, 16:0, 18:0, 18:?, 18:1, 18:2, 20:0, 20:un1, 20:un2, 21:0, 21:un1, 21:1 and 21:un2 acids, it is postulated that these acids are synthesized by adult H. contortus.