Complete separation of lipid classes on a single thin-layer plate

A double-development procedure employing first a polar and then a nonpolar solvent system is described for the complete separation by thin-layer chromatography of the main lipid classes encountered in natural lipids. For better quantification, long plates (34 cm) are employed. Diglycerides were separated from cholesterol, 1,2- from 1,3-diglycerides, and monoglycerides from phospholipids.