Skin surface lipids of the horse.

The research is about the composition of skin surface lipids of male and female horses, identifying cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and lactones of omega-hydroxy acids as the primary constituents.

Methodology

• The researchers began the study by collecting skin surface lipids from the sides of both male and female horses.
• They used acetone to facilitate the collection process, a common solvent in lipid extraction due to its ability to efficiently solubilize lipids from biological samples.
• The extracted lipids were then analyzed using two different methods: thin layer chromatography and gas liquid chromatography.
• Thin layer chromatography is often employed in lipid studies to separate and identify individual lipids, while gas liquid chromatography provides an in-depth analytical view of the lipid molecular structure and concentration.

Findings

• The research revealed that the sole components of the horse’s skin surface lipids were cholesterol, cholesteryl esters, and the lactones of omega-hydroxy acids between 32 and 36 carbon atoms in length.
• Each of these lactones included a methyl group in the n-1 position. The ‘n’ notation indicates the location of the methyl group from the end of the carbon chain. In this case, the n-1 position indicates that the methyl group is located at the second carbon from the chain end.
• The study also found that most of the lactones were monounsaturated, with small amounts of saturated and dienoic (having two double bonds) species present.

Composition Distribution

• The research further provided insights into the distribution of these lipids. As determined by the chromatography techniques, a pooled sample of the skin surface lipids contained 14% cholesterol, 38% cholesteryl esters, and 48% lactones.
• Seeing that nearly half of the lipids on the horse’s skin surface are lactones further underlines the importance of these lactones in the horse’s skin health and physiology.

Conclusion

• This study provides a comprehensive view of the lipid constituency of horse skin, potentially leading to a better understanding of horse skin health, factors influencing skin conditions, and improving topical treatments for horses.