COMPARATIVE-STUDIES OF THE SERUM-LIPOPROTEINS AND LIPIDS IN SOME DOMESTIC, LABORATORY AND WILD ANIMALS

1. The concentration of lipoproteins and lipids in the sera of several species of health\adult laboratory animals (guinea-pig, rabbit and ra t), domestic animals (cattle. sheep. goat. horse and swine) and wild a nimals (deer, wild boar, mink and fox) have been investigated under ph ysiological conditions. Special attention was paid to the lipoproteins which are precipitated with heparin MnCl2 and to the ratio of lipids in separated alpha and beta lipoproteins. 2. Most of the studied anima ls had significantly lower concentrations of total lipoproteins, beta lipoproteins and cholesterol than those in man (P < 0.001). Only some wild animals (mink and fox) had concentrations of total lipoproteins, beta lipoproteins, phospholipids and cholesterol which were significan tly higher than man's (P < 0.001). 3. The ratio of lipids in the separ ated lipoprotein fractions also differed between the examined animals. Thus, in the sheep, rabbit, guinea-pig and wild boar most of the chol esterol (70 76%) was in beta lipoproteins. However, in the horse (60%) , mink (60%), fox (65%). goat (70%) and cattle (73%) the high density lipoprotein fraction was the main carrier of cholesterol. 4. With the exception of the guinea-pig (42%) most of the serum phospholipids were found in the high density lipoprotein fraction.