[Vitamin "A" and biological membranes. Nota V - Fatty acid composition of erythrocyte stroma in vitamin A deficient rats (author's transl)].

Abstract

Two groups of albino male rats, were fed for 90 days with a balanced and vitamin A-free diet rispectively, to observed changes, if any, in the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes. The blood was separated with heparin, total lipids from erythocyte stroma were extracted and fatty acids analyzed by gaschromatography. It was noticed an increase in saturated fatty acids; at the same time mono- and, above all, polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased; the results agree with those obtained in rats fed for 30 and 60 days with Vitamin A-free diet as similar changes were observed in liver mitochondrial membranes of the rats, under study, we presume vitamin A modifies, to some extent, the biosyntesis of unsaturated fatty acids.