Porphyrins in egg shells (Short Communication)

Abstract

T.l.c. of esterified egg-shell porphyrin shows a mixture containing protoporphyrin with admixture of significant amounts of coproporphyrin, pentacarboxylic porphyrin and uroporphyrin and other, unidentified, porphyrins. This points to porphyrin biosynthesis taking place in the oviduct epithelium.