Studies on the synthesis of liver phospholipids and the turnover of plasma phospholipids in non pregnant female rats using radioactive palmitate.

Using the tracer method and a compartmental model we found that 0.9 mumoles plasma free fatty acids per min are esterified to liver phospholipids. The turnover rate of plasma phospholipid fatty acids was determined to be 0.5 mumoles phospholipid fatty acids per min. The turnover time of the plasma phospholipid fatty acids was calculated to be 0.9 hours. The results indicate that only 69 per cent of plasma free fatty acids esterified to liver phospholipids are secreted by the liver into the plasma.