Investigations on vitamin D esters synthesized in rats. Detection and identification

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
1. Vitamin D-deficient rachitic rats were given [1−3H]cholecalciferol by gastric intubation. After 24hr., diethyl ether extracts of liver and kidney contained 5–11% and 4·5–20% respectively of total vitamin D apparently esterified with long-chain fatty acids. 2. A two-dimensional thin-layer chromatographic technique was devised that completely separated seven synthetic vitamin D esters according to the chain length and number of double bonds in the fatty acid component. When the ‘vitamin D ester’ fraction from liver or kidney was co-chromatographed with the standard esters, radioactivity appeared mainly in vitamin D palmitate, stearate, oleate and linoleate regions. The proportion of radioactivity in the saturated fatty acid esters was higher in kidney than in liver. 3. The same percentage of tissue vitamin D in the esterified form was found at each of two dosages of vitamin D. 4. The possible specificity of a vitamin D esterification mechanism is discussed.