Turnover rates of the molecular species of alkenyl ether phospholipids of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

[1-14C]Glycerol was injected into the peritoneal cavity of mice bearing Ehrlich ascites tumor cells and the lipids were extracted from the cells after selected periods. 1-O-Alkenyl-2-acyl-3-acetylglycerols were prepared from the ethanolamine phosphoglycerides and fractionated by AgNO3-impregnated thin-layer chromatography into five molecular species. Bands 1--5 obtained in this way can be designated as saturated, monoene, diene, tetraene and hexaene species, respectively. Band 5, composed mainly of hexaene species was predominant among those derived from alkenyl ether phospholipids. The specific radioactivities of the fractionated species were determined. Hexaene molecular species turned over most rapidly and disaturated and tetraene species turned over at a high rate, while monoene and diene molecular species turned over very slowly.