ABSTRACT
Many molecular species are found in a single phospholipid class. They are characterized by the combination of fatty acyl residues attached to the sn-1 and sn2 positions of the molecule and by the nature of the chemical linkage between the fatty acid (FA) chain and the sn-1 position of the glycerol backbone. Three types of linkage bonds are common: Acyl, ether, and vinyl-ether bonds. Ether and vinylether bonds are solely found in the sn-1 position and are most common among PC and PE (1). Phospholipids containing ether bonds, 1-O-alkyl, in the sn-1 position are called plasmanyl-PL, while phospholipids containing vinyl-ether bonds, 1-Oalkyl-1′-enyl, in the sn-1 position are known as plasmenyl-PL (or plasmalogens). Plasmanyl and plasmenyl phospholipids are especially abundant in heart, kidney, and central nervous system (CNS) (2-4).
