cit-title-group
Abstract
Prior to conducting investigations into the control of fatty acid synthesis it is necessary to identify the specific body tis sues responsible for lipogenesis and to assess their relative importance. While the mammary gland of all species is active in fatty acid synthesis, a marked difference exists in the lipogenic activity of other body tissues. Fatty acid synthesis occurs entirely in the adipose tissue of the pig (1), butin the mouse (2, 3) and rat (4, 5) fatty acid synthesis occurs in both adipose and hepatic tissues. In contrast, lipogenesis in the chicken (6) and pigeon (7) occurs predominandy in the liver with adipose tissue acting merely as a depot site for preformed fats. The predominant sites of lipogenesis in the ruminant animal have not been de fined. In vivo studies of acetate metabolism in young, suckling lambs indicated the highest average incorporation of acetate into lipids occurred in omental fat (8). Tissue slice studies of acetate incorporation into fatty acids indicated similar lipogenic rates in liver and mesenteric adipose tissue for aged sheep while adipose tissue had a J. NUTRITION, 02: 617-624. 1 threefold greater lipogenic rate than liver in mature cows (9). Favarger (10) has emphasized