Characterization of the neutral and phospholipids of starfish

The neutral lipids of starfish Asterias rubens were characterized into triglycerides, 1:3 diglycerides, 1:2 diglycerides, monoglycerides, free fatty acids, and sterols. Predominant fatty acid found in all classes of the neutral lipids was C20:1 except for triglycerides where C 20:5 was greater. In fed animals increasing% ages of C16:1, C18:0, C18:1, and C20:1 and decreasing% ages of C14:0, C22:1, C24:1, C20:5 and C22:6 were found while no change was found with C16:0 for the triglyceride fraction. The phaspholipids in addition to phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl serine were found to contain also cholesetrol sulphates. The neutral lipids appeared to be more labile than the phospholipids