Paper chromatography of cholesterol esters

A silicic acid paper chromatographic method for the separation of four major classes of cholesterol esters, namely saturated cholesterol esters, cholesterol oleate, cholesterol linoleate and cholesterol linolenate plus cholesterol arachidonate is described. This method uses a benzene-hexane solvent. The use of combined column and paper chromatography as well as gas chromatographic analysis is presented for definitive identification of the various spots. The predominance of cholesterol linoleate in human plasma, and cholesterol arachidonate in rat plasma is confirmed.