Metabolism of palmitate in sheep

Abstract

Entry rates of palmitate were measured in 10 starved (24 hr.) sheep (7 wethers, 3 ewes). Plasma palmitate concentrations, which roughly paralleled plasma concentrations of free fatty acid, varied from 0.026 to 0.248 m-mole/1, mean 0.109; the palmitate content of plasma free fatty acid varied from 20.0 to 29.3%, mean 24.2%. Some dependence of palmitate entry rate on plasma concentration was observed, but the results suggested that factors other than concentration of free fatty acid are involved in the control of mobilization and uptake of free fatty acid. Considerable incorporation of radioactivity into blood cholesterol (free and esterified), phospholipid, triglyceride, acetate, [beta]-hydroxy-butyrate and free stearate and oleate occurred during the infusion of [Cl4]palmitate. A linear relationship was found between the contribution of palmitate to production of carbon dioxide and the concentration of plasma palmitate.