Abstract
Summary
The size of fat cells and the composition of adipose tissue has been measured in normal and genetically obese (fatty) rats and in thin rats made fat with hypothalamic lesions. The fat cells of the obese rats were 50% larger in diameter than fat cells from normal rats. Subcutaneous fat cells in the obese rats were significantly smaller than the corresponding parametrial or epididymal fat cells. DNA content was higher in pieces of fat than in fat cells, and the content of DNA in cells from obese animals was higher than in the cells of normal animals. The fatty acid composition of the subcutaneous fat in the two types of obese rats was identical.
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