title: Modification of electrocyte membrane lipid composition induced by denervation.
abstract: 1. We determined the effect of denervation on the lipid composition of the main electric organ and electrocyte postsynaptic membrane vesicles of Electrophorus electricus. 2. Lipid extracts of whole electric organ contain mainly cholesterol, triglycerides, phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. After 30 days of denervation, the lipid composition of whole electric organ did not change appreciably. 3. Lipid extracts of the membrane vesicles were similar, except that they contained mainly free fatty acids rather than triglycerides. After 30 days of denervation, cholesterol concentration was increased and phospholipids were decreased in the membrane fraction, with higher relative concentrations of phosphatidylethanolamine and cerebrosides. 4. These results suggest that electrocyte membrane fluidity and permeability will change after 30 days of denervation.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Somló
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hassón-Voloch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003714:Denervation; D004557:Electric Organ / Q000032:analysis*; D004593:Electrophorus; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008563:Membrane Lipids