On the ampholytic nature of phospholipins

Abstract

Abstract Of the N-containing phospholipins (Levene and Rolf, 1921; McLean and McLean, 1927; Thierfelder and Klenk, 1930; Magistris, 1931, Robison, 1932; Klenk, 1933) at present three groups have been fairly accurately defined and isolated in an almost pure state:— O= Ρ—O. diglyceride O= Ρ—O. diglyceride O= Ρ—O. (fatty acid) sphingosine O= Ρ —O. choline O= Ρ—O. colamine O=Ρ —O. choline O= Ρ —OH O= Ρ—OH O= Ρ—OH I II III Lecithin Cephalin Sphingomyelin These compounds are diesters of phosphoric acid. One acid group is esterified with an alcoholic base which may be either colamine (aminoethylalcohol NH2. CH2. CH2. OH) or the corresponding quaternary ammonium base choline (OHN(CH2)3. CH2. CH2. OH). The second acid group is linked in the sphingomyelin with sphingosine, the amino group of which is substituted by a fatty acid radical, or in lecithin and cephalin with a diglyceride. The analogous compounds lysolecithin and lysocephalin contain a monoglyceride instead of a diglyceride.