Quantitative analysis of brain and spinach leaf lipids employing silicic acid column chromatography and acetone for elution of glycolipids.

Quantitative elution of acidic and neutral glycolipids of brain and spinach leaves from silicic acid columns with acetone was demonstrated. Cerebrosides and sulfatides of brain and sulfolipid and glycosyl diglycerides of spinach leaves were eluted quantitatively with acetone while prospholipids remained on the column. The observations provide the basis for an analytical procedure employing column and quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Sephadex column chromatography is utilized for separation of lipids from nonlipids; silicic acid column chromatography for separation into neutral lipid, glycolipid and phospholipid fractions; and quantitative TLC for analysis of lipid classes of each column fraction.