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The object of this study was to determine the changes in lipid composition that occur in blood vessels from infancy to young adulthood. Analyses included levels of total cholesterol, total triglyceride, phospholipid, and cholesteryl ester fatty acids, and the distribution of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Triglyceride, total and monoenoic fatty acids, and linoleic acid were lower in the ascending, thoracic, and abdominal aorta than in the pulmonary artery and inferior vena cava. Phospholipids and arachidonic acid were higher in aortic segments than in the other two vessels. Aortic lipids showed significant changes with increasing age: total cholesterol and total fatty acids decreased from <1 wk to 5 yr, then increased to 22 yr of age. Triglycerides decreased whereas cholesteryl esters increased from 10 to 22 yr of age. Saturated fatty acids decreased from 1 wk to 10 yr, then remained relatively constant. Linoleic acid (3.7-9.8% of total fatty acids) and arachidonic acid (15.8-21.7%) both increased with age; the increase in cholesteryl linoleate was highly significant. After 10 yr of age, total cholesterol and total fatty acids were significantly higher in abdominal than in ascending and thoracic segments of aorta.