Incorporation of i-14C-acetate into the lipids of isolated epidermal cells

Suspensions of epidermal cells were prepared by trypsinization of rat epidermis and incubated with I-14C-acetate in Eagle's minimum essential medium. The incorporation of radioactivity into the total lipids of the cells was increased by the addition of serum to the medium. The pattern of incorporation into the main lipid classes was affected by the addition of serum to the medium and by alterations in the density of the cell suspensions. The incorporation of radioactivity into the total lipids increased approximately linearly over a 24-h period of incubation and the pattern of incorporation into the phospholipids and glycolipids altered with time. However, at each time interval studied, reporducible patterns of incorporation were obtained under controlled conditions. The incorporation of radioactive acetate therefore provides the basis for a very sensitive method of lipid analysis.