Research on cholesterol, steroidal hormones and liposoluble vitamins by thin layer chromatography in some adipose organs of anuran amphibians. II. Liposoluble vitamins.

By means of thin layer chromatography and selective detection, vitamin A acetate, vitamin E and vitamin E acetate, vitamin D3 and cholesterol were identified in the prepericardic body, adrenal tissue, fat bodies and testis of Bubo bufo, as well as in the prepericardic body of Rana esculenta. On the contrary, liposoluble vitamins could not be isolated from the adipose tissue occurring in the thoracic cavity of Rana esculenta, or in Bufo bufo muscles. The results are discussed in correlation with the histological structure of the prepericardic body and the presumptive identification therein of steroid hormones. Lastly, the functional analogy between the prepericardic body and fat bodies in anuran amphibians and the brown adipose tissue of mammals is also postulated.