Lipid composition of the spinal cord in the fruit bat Rousettus aegyptiacus.

Spinal cords were removed from ten Egyptian fruit bats Rousettus aegyptiacus and the lipids analysed. The major phosphatides were choline glycerophosphatide (32.3%), ethanolamine glycerophosphatide (29.3%), serine glycerophosphatide (15.2%) and phosphatidylinositol (8.4%). Sphingomyelin accounted for 13.8% of the phospholipid. Glycosphingolipids amounted to 43.2 mol/100 mol lipid phosphorus, plasmalogens 32.5 mol/100 mol P and cholesterol 159.5 mol/100 mol P. The fatty acid composition of whole cord, sphingomyelin and non-hydroxy cerebroside were determined. The results were compared with data from other species.