The effect of changes in nutritional state on the lipolytic activity of rat adipose tissue

When intact epididymal fat bodies, obtained from rats given excess carbohydrate, are incubated in vitro in the presence of albumin and chyle, free fatty acids (FFA) appear in the incubation medium. These FFA are produced following hydrolysis of the chyle triglyceride by clearing factor lipase present in the fat tissue. When fat tissue obtained from fasted rats is incubated under the same conditions, the amount of FFA appearing in the incubation medium is much less, and it is derived from the tissue rather than from the chyle triglyceride. The function of the clearing factor lipase in adipose tissue is discussed in relation to these findings, and some of the limitations of the study are defined.