LIPIDS PRESENT IN REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS 771 



did find minimal amounts of lignocerylsphingosine (0.016 to 0.034% of 

 moist weight) in this organ. Klenk and Friedrichs 40 reported that beef 

 spleen contained 0.78% of phospholipids (moist basis), of which 1.7% 

 consisted of plasmalogens. 



In contradistinction to the lipid composition of the normal spleen, that 

 occurring in several types of lipidoses presents marked variations from the 

 composition noted in most other tissues. Under these pathologic condi- 

 tions, not only may the organ be markedly enlarged due to the incorpora- 

 tion of large amounts of lipids, but also the type of lipid deposited is that 

 usually characteristic of nervous tissue. For a discussion of the effect 

 of lipidoses on the composition of the spleen, see Chapter VI, page 702. 



8. Lipids Present in the Reproductive Organs 



Cholesterol is of primary importance, either directly or indirectly as a 

 building stone in the synthesis of the male and female hormones. How- 

 ever, other lipids also play an important role, both in the structure of the 

 cells of the sex organs and also in their metabolic behavior. 



(1) Lipids in the Testes 



Phospholipids and cerebrosides have been demonstrated in the seminal 

 cells and in the interstitial tissue of the male. 370 Although the lipids were 

 present extracellularly in the latter case, as storage products, and thus were 

 involved in the total lipid metabolism, they were intracellular and intrinsic 

 components of the seminal cells. The role of the testicular phospholipids is 

 problematical, in view of the finding of Sinclair 371 that they do not enter 

 into the same metabolic interplay as do the phospholipids of other tissues. 

 When elaidic acid, which was used as a tracer, was given to rats during the 

 entire period of growth, from weaning on, practically none was incorporated 

 in the phospholipids of the testes, although it was taken up by most other 

 tissues. The absence of this acid from the lipids of the testicles was even 

 more complete than was its absence from the brain lipids. Arachidonic 

 acid has been found to occur in an especially high concentration in bull 

 testes. 372 



Ward and Moore 373 have demonstrated the presence of 7-dehydro- 

 cholesterol in the male genitals of the rat. These workers reported the 



370 K. Sorg, Z. Konstitutionslehre, 10, 67-78 (1924). 



371 R. G. Sinclair, /. Biol. Chem., 134, 89-94 (1940). 



372 R. T. Holman, personal communication to the author, 1953. 



373 R. J. Ward and T. Moore, Biochem. J., 52, v (1952); 55, 295-298 (1953). 



