A continuous flow method for the study of lipoprotein lipase secretion in adipose cells.

The secretion of lipoprotein lipase has been examined in Ob17 adipose cells. No spontaneous secretion is detected. The activity of the heparin-releasable enzyme shows a first-order process of inactivation. This constant rate of inactivation, coupled with a decreased rate of secretion, prevents any significant determination of enzyme secretion in heparin-containing media. Thus, a perifusion system, with which the rate of enzyme inactivation is minimal and systematic, has been devised and used. The data show that the secretion of a pool of pre-existing lipoprotein lipase molecules is followed by the secretion of newly synthesized enzyme molecules. The results are discussed with respect to the significance of the determinations of the heparin-releasable enzyme in most studies as well as with respect to the intracellular localization of lipoprotein lipase in Ob17 cells.