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Phospholipids and Choline Deficiency

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Phospholipids

Abstract

Lecithin (phosphatidylcholine; PtdCho) is the major phospholipid constituent of most membranes, and it is vital to the normal function of every cell and organ. PtdCho is synthesized from choline in all organs29,30. Much of this choline comes from the diet. PtdCho, in foods such as liver, eggs, soybeans and peanuts, is the most important source of choline in the human diet29. This dietary choline interacts with methionine and folate metabolism so that changes in the availability of choline alter biological methylation reactions. Choline is also used by tissues to make acetylcholine. This chapter will focus on PtdCho as a source of choline in the diet, and upon the biological consequences of diminished availability of choline.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutrient Metabolism Laboratory Departments of Pathology and Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, 85 East Newton Street, Room M1002, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Steven H. Zeisel

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  1. Steven H. Zeisel
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University of Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA

    Israel Hanin

  2. University of Florence, Florence, Italy

    Giancarlo Pepeu

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© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Zeisel, S.H. (1990). Phospholipids and Choline Deficiency. In: Hanin, I., Pepeu, G. (eds) Phospholipids. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1364-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-1364-0_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4757-1366-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4757-1364-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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