Lipogenic enzyme activities and cellularity of porcine adipose tissue from various anatomical locations.

The activities of acetyl CoA carboxylase, citrate cleavage enzyme, malic enzyme, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were determined in porcine adipose tissue samples taken from seven anatomical locations, including three layers of backfat, intermuscular, perirenal, mesenteric, and leg subcutaneous adipose tissues. Adipocyte size and number, as well as lipid and soluble protein content, were also measured in order to establish some of the differences that exist between different areas of porcine adipose tissue. It was found that adipose tissue from areas where fat is deposited very readily (particularly the perirenal region) had higher enzyme activities, larger adipose cells, a lesser amount of stromal tissue, a greater amount of ether-extractable lipid, and a lower concentration of adipose cells per gram of tissue than samples from areas where fat is deposited only sparsely (leg subcutaneous).