Effect of environmental temperature on the incorporation of 3H‐ethanolamine into the phospholipids of the tissues of the crab Carcinus maenas

Incorporation of 3H-ethanolamine in phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and in phosphatidylcholine (PC) isolated from different tissues of crab Carcinus maenas was analyzed at environmental temperature of 13°C and 23°C. The stepwise N-methylation of PE to PC occurs only in the hepatopancreas, its importance being greater in animals living at 23°C. The hemolymph-hepatopancreas exchange of PC plays an important part on the regulation of the hepatopancreas PC pool. Also, the environmental temperature strongly influences PC distribution between hemolymph and hepatopancreas.