The response of adipocyte glucose metabolism and fatty acid release to adenosine deaminase, insulin and perifusion. Investigation of intermediary metabolism by perifusion.

Adipocytes incubated with adenosine deaminase (ADA) showed: (1) increased amounts of fatty acids in the medium; (2) increased glucose incorporation into acylglycerol glycerol; (3) decreased glucose incorporation into acylglycerol fatty acids; (4) a co-ordinate decrease in the sensitivity of lipolysis and glucose incorporation into acylglycerol to insulin; (5) similar effects on glucose incorporations in perifused and normal incubations. The decrease in fatty acid synthesis by perfusion was found to be dependent on the presence of insulin or fatty acids, and independent of the effects of ADA. The significance of the effects of perifusion, ADA and insulin are discussed in relation to effects of fatty acids.