Fatty acids in hepatic microsomal and mitochondrial phospholipids.

Hepatic microsomal phospholipids of rats showed a high incorporation rats of the precursor palmitic acid (1-[14C]-labelled), in comparison to U-[14C]-glucose and 1-[14C]-glycerol and in contrast to their corresponding mitochondrial fractions. This depends on a predominant occurrence of palmitic acid close to stearic acid in the 1- and 2-position of the glyceride skeleton of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, respectively. The reported results provide new approaches to the investigation of drug-induced interactions at the microsomal target on the molecular level, especially to establish sensitive criteria for drug-induced effects.