The micromethod for determination of cholesterol, cholesteryl esters and phospholipids

We examined the method for determining microquantities of lipids, including cholesterol, cholesteryl esters and phospholipids. A standard colorimetric procedure of cholesteryl esters was modified to accommodate a quantitative thin-layer chromatography. This method involved the following steps. (1) Separation of lipids by a thin-layer chromatography: Lipids were applied to Silica gel G plates. Plates were developed with petroleum ether-diethyl etheracetic acid (82: 18: 2, vIvIv). (2) Elution of cholesterol and its esters from scraped silica gel: After scraping the silica gel with adhered cholesterol and its esters, they were eluted with chloroform-methanol (4: 1, v,tv). In the case of phspholipids, the silica gel was calcified. (3) Colorimetric determination of the lipids: Cholesterol and its esters eluted from the silica gel were determined by the method of ZAK with ROSENTHAL'S color reagent directly and after saponification, respectively. Phospholipids were calculated from the phosphorous content determined by the method of KATES. On the basis of examination of recovery and analyses of lipids extracted from tissue, it was concluded that this method permitted a reliable estimation of microquantities of cholesterol, its esters and phospholipids from small amounts of biological materials.