Incorporation of 14C stearic acid in lens organ culture.
14C stearic acid was incubated in organ culture of rabbit lens for 6, 12 and 20 hours. Stearic acid did penetrate the lens and was incorporated into triacyl-glycerides and phospholipids. It also served as a carbon source for cholesterol synthesis. Individual fatty acids were isolated and radioactivity measurements were made. Incorporation of label was found in C12:0, C14:0 and C16:0 fatty acids, indicating de novo synthesis in the lens; incorporation was found in C16:1 and C18:1, indicating delta 9 desaturase activity, and incorporation was found in the fatty acids of 20 carbons or longer, indicating the presence of a fatty acid elongation system in the lens.
D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011817:Rabbits; D013229:Stearic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000096:biosynthesis
D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D013229:Stearic Acids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol