Developmental changes in lipogenic enzyme activities in liver and adipose tissue of post-weaning rats. Effect of sex and castration

The specific activities of acetyl-CoA-carboxylose, malic enzyme (decarboxylating) and glucose-6-P dehydrogenase were determined in the liver and adipose tissues of rat.At weaning, Wistar CF rats were divided into 4 groups (males, females, castrated males, castrated females) and fed a low fat diet ad libitum.Eight animals of each group were killed at different ages (25, 36, 42, 50 and 70 days).The results of the study showed that : -in both sexes as well as in castrated animals, the adipose tissue was the site of intense lipogenesis between weaning and 50 days, but that its lipogenic capacity declined during adulthood ; -nevertheless, as compared to adipose tissue, the liver might play a considerable role in de novo fatty acid synthesis, i. e. acetyl-CoA-carboxylcise activity of the liver represented at least 70 p. 100 of the whole « liver + perirenal and subcutaneous adipose tissue » activity ; -