Sunday, December 17, 2006

Lipid quantification

I posted earlier about Bligh & Dyer's assay for total lipids and how I had arse results. A little reflection has led me to consider that user error may remain a possibility but before I can test for it I need a working lipid assay to validate it with. So I have been pndering the different techniques open to me, including a plate assay that quantifies triglycerides, cholesterol and phospholipids- thereby giving me quantitative values for storage, physiological and structural lipids. There is also the opportunity of developing an HPLC method to give me more detailed data, however lipid HPLC presents a fecking minefield of challenges from co-eluting peaks to the avilability and appropriate nature of standards. Finally, I have the option of running an alternative to the Bligh & Dyer assay developed by Frings et al which look straightforward.

Whatever I decide to do it has to be developed rapidly, without excessive cost and it has to be feckin reliable. I am sick of non-Ronseal assays- i.e. things that do not do exactly what it says on the tin!

Oh well, at least my Scope For Growth work is progressing in a positive direction due to the excellent advice of Prof J I Spicer ["Spicey John"]. That chap rocks.

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