Abstract
Summary
The effect of pre-treatment with thyroxine and of thyroidectomy upon the in vitro lipolytic response of adipose tissue to epinephrine has been studied. Release of FFA from adipose tissue of thyroxine-treated animals was significantly greater than that of tissues of thyroidectomized animals, and the absolute increase produced by epinephrine was also larger. Adipose tissue of thyroidectomized rats exhibited a significant lipolytic response to epinephrine. The fractional increase induced by a dilute concentration of epinephrine was independent of thyroid status. The lipolytic response of tissues of hypothyroid, hyperthyroid and eu-thyroid rats to a high concentration of epi-nephrine was essentially the same. It is suggested that the magnitude of the lipolytic response to physiologic doses of epinephrine may be related to the basal lipolytic activity of the adipose tissue.
The technical assistance of Miss Patricia Gordon and Mrs. Louise Melendy is gratefully acknowledged.
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