Factors Concerned with the Regulation of Fatty Acid Metabolism by Adipose Tissue

Abstract

The rate of fatty acid release by adipose tissue is dependent on the relative rates of fatty acid esterification and lipolysis. Glucose is necessary for the esterification process, probably due to glycerolphosphate formation. Epinephrine and other hormones which accelerate fatty acid release appear to affect the rate of lipolysis. As glucose uptake is diminished, glyceride-glycerol formation becomes the major metabolic product of glucose utilization. As glucose uptake is increased, after glyceride-glycerol synthesis becomes sufficient to esterify the fatty acids, the surplus metabolized glucose is utilized for lipogenesis.