Abstract
The fatty acid composition of insect cells was examined in cell lines from Mamestra brassicae pupal ovaries, Aedes albopictus larval tissues and Sarcophaga peregrina embryos cultured continuously either in a fetal bovine serum containing medium or in a serum-free (also fatty acid-free) medium. C14 : 0, C16 : 0, C16 : 1, C18 : 0 and C18 : 1 fatty acids were detected in cells cultured in both of these media. However, C18 : 2 fatty acid was detected only in cells cultured in the vertebrate serum containing medium, and C18 : 3 fatty acid could not be detected in cells cultured in either medium. The relationship between the percentages of individual fatty acids and the total fatty acid in cells cultured in fatty acid-free medium were similar to these relationships observed in cells from a serum-containing medium except for C18 : 2 fatty acid. The fatty acids synthesized by the cultured cells were liberated into the culture medium.
