Tissue and Cell Membrane Lipid Composition in Rats on Adaptation to Highland Conditions

The effects of the physical factors of highland altitudes (3200 m) on the lipid composition of tissues and cell membranes were studied in rats. Adaptation of the animals to highland conditions was accompanied by changes in tissue phospholipid composition. Adaptive phospholipid re-composition was seen in the lungs, brain, liver, and skeletal muscle, and in the microsomal membrane fractions isolated from them, with increases in the quantities of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidic acid. Adaptation at low temperature (+10°C) led to more significant changes in lipid peroxidation and phospholipid composition in tissues and membranes than adaptation in thermally neutral conditions (+30°C). Modification of tissue and cell membrane lipid composition in rats in highland conditions appeared to increase the body’s adaptive potential – the animals showed a tendency to increases in physical work capacity and resistance to hypoxia.