This article is available online at http://www.jlr.org lipoproteins. Agonist-induced lipolysis is mediated by consecutive activation of the adenylate cyclase (AC), resulting in cAMP production and protein kinase A (PKA) activation by cAMP, followed by PKA-induced phosphorylation of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) at three serine residues (563, 659, and 660), resulting in its activation and translocation from the cytosol to the lipid-droplet surface. Concomitant with HSL phosphorylation, the phosphorylation of perilipin by PKA at multiple sites (S81, S222, S276, and S517) results in a dynamic restructuring of the lipid-droplet surface, in facilitating the translocation of phosphorylated HSL to the lipid droplet, and in activating its hydrolyzing activity. Perilipin phosphorylation by PKA further results in releasing CGI-58 from the lipid droplet, in its association with adipose triacylglycerol lipase (ATGL), and in activating its lipolytic activity. Activated ATGL, HSL, and monoglyceride lipase may act now consecutively in hydrolyzing adipose triacyglycerols to diacylglycerol, monoacylglycerol, and fi nally to free glycerol and LCFA. Agonist-induced cAMP and lipolysis is restrained by insulin due to cAMP hydrolysis by insulin-activated phosphodiesterase3B (PDE3B) ( 2 ), combined with insulin-induced reesterifi cation of LCFA into adipose fat (reviewed in Ref.3 ). Indeed, increased adipose effl ux of free LCFA, due to increased adipose lipolysis and/or suppression of adipose LCFA reesterifi cation, is considered a cornerstone of diabetes. Agonist-induced lipolysis is further robustly inhibited by the LCFA generated during lipolysis ( 4, 5 ). In fact, agonist-induced lipolysis is made possible only by removing the free nonesterifi ed LCFA product through their binding to medium albumin or by frequent medium replacement Lipolysis of adipose fat stores results in the production of nonesterifi ed long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) in response to changes in energy requirements and availability (reviewed in Ref. 1 ). Fatty acids derived by adipose fat lipolysis may either be reesterifi ed into adipose fat, or serve as major source of oxidizable substrate for muscle activity and as precursor for the hepatic production of triacylglycerol-richFunded by Eurostars project E!5138.