THE ROLE OF HORMONES IN ADIPOSE TISSUE GLYCOGEN SYNTHESIS IN THE RAT: THE ADRENAL CORTEX

Abstract

KNOWLEDGE concerning the role of the adrenal cortex in fat metabolism is fragmentary and, in many cases, contradictory. This subject was reviewed by Ingle in 1943 and the present status of the problem may be summarized briefly as follows. The adrenalectomized animal does not readily mobilize fat from peripheral tissue to liver or develop ketosis in response to fasting or stress (Ingle, 1943) but may do both under the influence of growth hormone (Bennett et al., 1948, Szego and White, 1949). Fat stores of the adrenalectomized rat allowed to eat ad libitum become depleted (Schiffer and Wertheimer, 1947), although Stoerk and Porter (1950) claim this occurs only in adrenalectomized rats on a restricted food intake. The carcasses of adrenalectomized rats contain more protein and less fat than pair-fed controls (Winternitz, 1942). Conversely, the administration of adrenocorticotrophic hormone or the C-11 oxygenated steroids results in an apparent rapid mobilization of fat