Micro methods for the determination of chylomicron counts, fatty esters, lipid phosphorus and cholesterol in blood serum.

N THE FALL or 1953, a study was begun at the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station on the utilization of fats by normal and overweight women subjects. Since this study necessitated the taking of a fasting blood sample and 4 more hourly samples following a test breakfast, it seemed desirable to use micro methods which would permit the use of finger tip blood. From published macro methods, micro procedures were developed for the determination of chylomicron counts, fatty esters, lipid phosphorus, and cholesterol. These methods made it possible to determine chylomicron counts and one of the other lipid constituents on approximately 100 /Ll. of blood serum. Because of the present great interest in lipid studies these methods are given in detail for the use of other workers who may wish to use micro technics. In general, the technics used were those of Bessey and Lowry (1). These were described in detail in the Techniques Bulletin (2), apublication of the Northeastern Regional Nutritional Status Project. Certain special technics were developed in connection with each of the micro_methods; these will be described with the individual methods.