Distribution of total fatty acids in human splenic lipids.

Lipids were extracted from adult human spleens obtained at surgery or autopsy, 26 with some degree of congestion and 7 displaying congestive splenomegaly. The fatty acids were processed following saponification of the lipids, esterified and the esters as such as well as hydrogenated aliquots analyzed by gas chromatography. The significance of fatty acid differences on the basis of age, sex, pathology and mode of organ acquisition was determined by t-tests. Several acid differences were significant in regard to age groups, between congestion and splenomegaly (surgical, autopsy and overall) and in the comparison of the respective surgical vs autopsy groups. No definite difference could be attributed to sex.

Kidney total fatty acids in renal cell carcinoma and infection.

Lipids extracted from the kidneys of adults with renal cell carcinoma or infection after careful dissection of lesions and from organs showing minimal alterations were saponified and the fatty acids converted to the methyl esters. Gas chromatographic criteria were applied to the esters as such and to hydrogenated aliquots, and the relative percentages of the component acids were ascertained. The various lipid classes were well represented in the total fatty acid mixtures. The unsaturated acids ranged higher than the saturated homologs. Comparisons of the fatty acids were carried out on the basis of age, sex, kidney position, mode of ascquisition (surgery and autopsy), and pathology. Several small but statistically significant differences were discerned according to the categories but with few exceptions, these involved acids occurring at low levels and with wide variance.