Comparative aspects of lipid metabolism: impact on contemporary research and use of animal models.

The emerging obesity crisis and consequent concerns for corrective measures and appropriate public policy have stimulated research into causes, prevention, remediation, and health consequences of obesity and associated maladies. Such research areas include eating behavior, appetite control, and food intake regulation as well as the regulation of lipid metabolism, cardiovascular function, endocrine function, and dyslipidemia states utilizing various animal models and cell culture systems. Although the liver has a central role in lipid/fatty acid synthesis and glucose is the precursor for de novo fatty acid synthesis in rodents and humans, in many other species, adipose tissues are the primary sites of lipogenesis. In addition, many species utilize acetic acid as a precursor for fatty acid synthesis. This fundamental difference in the site of fatty acid synthesis and the pattern of consequent lipid trafficking influences overall animal lipid metabolism and the role of regulatory hormones and transcription factors. Researchers utilizing various animal species in targeted biomedical research should be aware of these species differences when interpreting their data. In addition, many animal species are used for food production, recreational, and companion purposes. Understanding the lipid metabolism regulatory mechanisms of such species from a comparative perspective is important for the proper nutrition and health of these animals.