Release of Free Fatty Acids from the Isolated Epididymal Fat Pad of Obese-Hyperglycemic Mice

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Abstract
The content and release or uptake of free fatty acids (FFA) from the isolated epididymal fat pad was studied in the American variety of the obese-hyperglycemic syndrome in mice. In spite of the marked reduction in the number of fat cells/unit volume of tissue, the relative N content was unchanged in the obese animals. While the fed obese mice were characterized by a high tissue content and release of FFA, the epididymal fat pads from the lean controls on the other hand showed an uptake of FFA from the medium. The effect of fasting on the FFA mobilization was more pronounced in the non-obese mice. It has previously been suggested that an impaired mobilization of FFA represents a metabolic defect of significance In the etiology of the obese-hyper-glycemic syndrome. However, when the high number of fat cells/volume epididymal adipose tissue in the lean mice was taken into consideration, there were no obvious differences for the fatty acid content and release between the 2 types of mice after starving for 24 hours.