Diester waxes in surface lipids of animal skin

Abstract

The literature is surveyed on two types of diester lipid that occur on the skin surfaces of animals: Type 1, a hydroxy fatty acid of which the hydroxyl group and the carboxyl group are esterified respectively with another fatty acid and a fatty alcohol, and Type 2, and alkane α,β-diol of which each OH group is esterified with a fatty acid. New data presented here show that the cow, rabbit and cat produce Type 1, whereas the dog, mouse, guinea pig and baboon produce Type 2 diesters. Each occurs as a major component of the surface lipid. The homologue distribution is given for Type 1 diesters of cow, rabbit and cat as well as the Type 2 diesters of dog and mouse. Distribution of long chain fatty acids of Type 1 diesters parallels that of the fatty alcohols suggesting a biogenetic relation between the two types of compounds. GLC of total diesters for the cow suggests that the components are assembled randomly during biosynthesis. Molecular weight of these diesters are in the range of those of natural triglycerides composed mainly of C₁₆ and C₁₈ fatty acids.