[Influence of the acclimation temperature on the phospholipid metabolism of the fresh water ell (Anguilla anguilla) (author's transl)].

Lowering of the acclimation temperature of the eel induced a reduction of 32P incorporation into the lipid phosphorus of various tissues. This effect was partly the result of a slight decrease of the inorganic phosphate exchange and metabolism of tissues. 2. The variation of the 32P incorporation into the various phosphatides was different according to the tissue ; gill and kidney phospholipids being the most effected. At high temperature (22 degrees C), the turnover of sphingomyelin and phosphatidyl-choline was four or seven fold higher in all tissues than at low temperature. At low temperature (12 degrees C), the incorporation of 32P into gill and kidney phosphatidylinositol and gill diphosphatidyl-glycerol was the same as at high temperature. The kidney diphosphatidyl-glycerol turnover was affected to the same extent as the other phosphatides by high acclimation temperature. The gill phosphatidyl-ethanolamines had a relatively higher turnover at low temperature. 3. The acclimation of the eel at low temperature provoked an increase of the turnover of phosphatidyl-ethanolamine and diphosphatyl-glycerol into the gill, parallel with an increase of some enzymatic activities. 4. The variation of the acclimation temperature may impose restrictions on the turnover of some phosphatides. There is a limited action of the temperature on the turnover of metabolically active phosphatides of the osmoregulatory organs, such as gill phosphatidyl-inositol and diphosphatidyl-glycerol or kidney phosphatidyl-inositol. 5. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the role of phospholipids in the cell and to the physiological functions of the various organs of the eel.