Fat body Lipid Profile in Male and Female Adults of Leucopholis lepidophora

Abstract

The neutral lipids (NL) and phospholipids (PL) with their constituents were studied in the fat body of male and female adults of Leucopholis lepidopholis, by employing thin layer chromatography (TLC) and bioassay technique. The fat body plays major roles in the life of insects. It is a dynamic tissue involved in multiple metabolic functions. One of these functions is to store and release energy in response to the energy demands of the insect. Insects store energy reserves in the form of glycogen and triglycerides in the adipocytes. The quantity of neutral lipids in male and female fat body was measured 30.12 and 42.212 mg/gm wet weight of tissues respectively. The main component of neutral lipids was triacylglycerol. The phospholipid values in male and female were 20.66 and 14.79 mg/gm wet weight of tissues respectively. Female adult fat body contains more lipids than male. The neutral lipid consists of six components. Triacylglycerol was the main component, monoacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, cholesterol, were moderate and cholesterol ester and free fatty acids low in quantity. Phospholipids exhibited seven constituents; phosphatidyl-choline and phosphatidyl-ethanolamine in high concentration, Lysophosphatidyl-choline and sphingomyelin in moderate concentration, and phosphatidyl-inositol , phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid low in quantity. The physiological significance of major constituents of neutral lipids and phospholipids has been discussed in relation to fat bodies.