Fatty acids of phospholipids in human neonatal lung surfactant.

The fatty acid chains of lecithin, phosphatidyl ethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidyl dimethylethanolamine (PDME) in human neonatal alveolar washes were analyzed. Both alpha- and beta-palmitic acid increased with gestational age on all phospholipids analyzed. No evidence for high concentrations of myristic acid was found on any phospholipid. Babies who were stillborn or who had died of hyaline membrane disease (HMD) had lower proportions of beta-lecithin palmitic acid when compared with babies who breathed normally before death. In the HMD group these levels were significantly lower.