ABSTRACT. Rates of utilization of glucose, acetate, and cerning such changes in lipid metabolism have yet to be obtained. lactate and activities of selected enzymes were determined The present investigation involved studies of adipose tissue from in vitro to characterize the nature of lipogenesis and me-fetal and unsuckled newborn calves. Rates of utilization of tabolite utilization in perirenal adipose tissue from 6-to 7-glucose, acetate, and lactate, as substrates for oxidation and for month old fetal and 3-to 4-h-old unsuckled newborn calves. synthesis of fatty acids and glyceride glycerol, were determined Contribution of the pentose phosphate cycle to glucose in vitro to characterize the nature of lipogenesis and patterns of metabolism was estimated using specifically labeled glu-metabolite utilization. Specifically labeled glucose was employed cose. Rates of fatty acid synthesis from all three substrates to evaluate the contribution of the pentose phosphate cycle to and oxidation of glucose were much greater in fetal than glucose metabolism and to the reducing equivalents needed for in newborn adipose tissue. In fetal adipose tissue, acetate fatty acid synthesis. In addition, activities of selected enzymes and lactate were major sources of carbon for fatty acid related to lipogenesis in adipose tissue were also assayed. synthesis; glucose functioned mainly by metabolism via the pentose phosphate cycle to provide reducing equivalents for fatty acid synthesis and by incorporation into glyceride
MATERIALS AND METHODS glycerol for fatty acid esterification. Pentose phosphatePerirenal adipose tissue samples were obtained from five fetal cycle contributed 58 and 12% to glucose metabolism in calves (180-2 10 days gestation or 64-75% of full term) and eight adipose tissue of fetal and newborn calves, respectively. newborn unsuckled calves (3-4 h after birth). Newborn calves Adipose tissue metabolism of newborn calves was charac-were sacrificed by exsanguination prior to tissue removal. ~d iterized by greatly depressed rates of fatty acid synthesis pose tissue samples were placed in warn saline (37" C) for despite high enzyme activities and elevated rates of gl~cer-transport to the laboratory, cleaned of connective tissue and ide glycerol synthesis. (Pediatr Res 20: 542-544, 1986) blood vessels, and cut into small (30-50 mg) pieces. Adipose tissue pieces weighing 50-100 mg were placed in siliconized 25-ml Erlenmeyer flasks containing 2 ml of incubation medium (Table 1). Concentrations of glucose, acetate, Iactate/pyruvate, M~~~ studies of fetal metabolism have been carried out in and insulin in the incubation medium were determined in the sheep with substrate utilization usually being determined on the preliminary experiment to achieve maximum rates of substrate basis of rates of oxygen consumption and uptake of different utilization. The flasks were gassed with a mixture of 95% O2 and substrates. Various acute and chronic preparations and tech-5% C02, capped with self-sealing rubber serum caps fitted wth niques suc...