Wertz P W, Downing D T
Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1986 Jun 30;137(3):992-7. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(86)90323-2.
The present report establishes that fatty acids, omega-hydroxyacids and omega-hydroxyacylsphingosines are covalently attached to macromolecules in mammalian epidermis. Extensive extraction of pig epidermis yielded 11.2% lipid on a dry weight basis. Reextraction of the epidermal residue did not yield additional lipid; however, a mild saponification of the delipidized residue followed by acidification and extraction yielded an additional 0.5% by weight of lipid-soluble material. The major components of this residual lipid fraction are omega-hydroxyacylsphingosine (60% of the total), free fatty acids (24%) and free omega-hydroxyacids (7%).
