Lipid products formed during desaturation of [1‐14C] stearyl CoA by hen liver microsomes

A number of lipid products are formed during the desaturation of stearyl CoA by hen liver microsomes. This article presents an analysis of the products formed when [1‐14C] stearyl CoA is incubated with hen liver microsomes for various time periods. [1‐14C] Oleyl CoA was the first radioactive unsaturated product formed. Synthesis of phospholipids containing [1‐14C] oleic acid occurs only after the desaturase activity has begun to decline. The specific radioactivity of [1‐14C] oleyl CoA was similar to the specific radioactivity of [1‐14C] stearyl CoA at all time periods tested. The specific radioactivities of [1‐14C] oleic acid and phospholipids containing [1‐14C] oleic acid were much lower than that of the [1‐14C] stearyl CoA.