[Fatty acids of the cerebrosides (1-beta-glycosylceramides) and sulfatides (sulfoglycosylceramides) of the brain of the river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis].

The analysis of the fatty acids of cerebrosides and sulfatides from the brain of the lamprey L. fluviatilis has been carried out. Only normal fatty acids were revealed by TLC of total methyl esters of the fatty acid of cerebrosides and sulfatides. The hydroxy fatty acids are apparently absent. The composition of the normal fatty acids of cerebrosides and sulfatides is very similar. TLC revealed fatty acids containing from 14 to 27 C mainly saturated and small amount of monoenes. The fatty acid pattern of cerebrosides and sulfatides from lamprey brain resembles that from the brain of other vertebrates. The peculiarity of the fatty acid composition of these glycolipids in the lamprey brain is the high proportion of short chain (C14--C18) saturated acids, especially of palmitic acid. The fatty acid composition of cerebrosides and sulfatides from lamprey brain which does not contain myelin is rather similar to that of mammalian brain in early development before the onset of myelination.