Myelin lipids, variations

Selivonchick, D.P. and Roots, B.J. (1976). Variation in myelin lipid composition induced by change in environmental temperature of goldfish. Journal of Chemical Biology 1,131-135. 

The data in Table 4-1 indicate that myelin accounts for much of the total lipid of white matter, and that the lipid composition of gray matter is quite different from that of myelin. The composition of brain myelin from all mammalian species studied is very much the same. There are, however, some species differences for example, myelin of rat has less sphingomyelin than does that of bovine or human (Table 4-1). Although not shown in the table, there are also regional variations for example, myelin isolated from the spinal cord has a higher lipid-to-protein ratio than brain myelin from the same species. 

Stallberg-Stenhagen S, Svennerhohn L. Fatty acid composition of human brain sphingomyelins. Normal variation with age and changes during myelin disorders. J. Lipid Res. 1965 6 146-155. 

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