I read papers where they dissolve lipids in Ethanol or in Ethanol/DMSO (1:1, v/v). Is it also possible to store glycosphingolipids in DMSO alone to avoid possible ethanol evaporation?
Yes, you can store lipids in DMSO. But I'm unsure, whether the recovery is quantitative unless you use then, for example, chloroform/methanol mixtures.
Glycosphingolipids can be stored in DMSO; however, depending on the size and residues in the glycoside, solubility may be limited.
It is important to understand the purpose of the lipids! Will you use in cell culture? If so, then dissolve in ethanol, then freeze dry. Store it. At the day of use, dissolve in saline ( the concentration must be less than CMC), sonicate for 1-2 sec, then use for the cell culture.This might be a good way of usage of lipids in cell culture model, if one wants to avoid the effect of DMSO in the cell culture.
as many answer pointed out, not all lipids, especially neutral lipids and simple lipids, are soluble in DMSO.Also ethanol os not of use of any lipids. Cholesteryl estr and triacylglycerols, are , for instance, not soluble in any of the above mentioned solvents. Each molecule has to be studied individually
As you can deduce from the answers provided above you may dissolve some lipids in 100% DMSO. Two points Nicole have to be outlined. "Lipids" is a generic term that include very different, numerous, compounds with very different physical-chemical properties. So the first point is which kind of lipid you refer to. The second point is the purpose of storage. Are you using these "lipids" to challenge them in in vitro systems, i.e. cell in colture, or are you using lipid extracts for subsequent analysis? Consider also that the use of DMSO precludes solvent evaporation and is potentially unsafe for certain lipids. If you are concerned by the potential evaporation of ethanol, but you lipids are well solubilized in it, I should say rather don't worry: dissolve your lipid in ethanol, store it in a glass vial at -80°C. On the day of use, take the vial on ice and open it just as shortly as to take the volume needed, then put the vial at -80°C as early as you can.
Hello, DMSO will NOT dissolve Lipids as its a polar solvent.
Best regards.
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