Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T23:14:03.991Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of different dietary fats on fat cell size and number in rat epididymal fat pad

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2007

Janet Kirtland
Affiliation:
Nutrition and Agriculture Division, Unilever Research Laboratory, Colworth House, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1LQ
M. I. Gurr
Affiliation:
Nutrition and Agriculture Division, Unilever Research Laboratory, Colworth House, Sharnbrook, Bedford MK44 1LQ
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

1. Rats were given diets containing different fats (200 g/kg) from weaning to 8 months of age. The fats were sunflower-seed oil (SFO), lard (L) and an equal mixture of sunflower-seed oil and lard (mixed-fat diet; MF). A control group was given the basal diet unsupplemented with fat. Energy intake and body-weight of individual animals were recorded weekly.

2. Three animals from each dietary group were killed after 5, 13, 17 and 29 weeks on the experimental diets. At slaughter epididymal fat pads were excised, weighed and the number and size of fat cells in the pad was determined.

3. There were no significant differences between the energy intake in the whole experimental feeding period for rats given the different fat diets. However, when energy intakes were examined on a monthly basis animals given MF had a significantly higher energy intake in the first 2 months of feeding than those animals given SFO. In the third month of feeding (when animals were over 12 weeks old) the group given L had a significantly higher intake than the group given SFO.

4. Body-weight, epididymal-fat-pad weight, cell size and cell number did not differ significantly between the ‘fat-fed’ animals at any individual slaughter period. Analysis of pooled values from the four slaughter periods revealed that animals given MF had significantly more fat cells than those given SFO.

5. We conclude that the nature of the dietary fat has no effect on the cellularity of developing adipose tissue but that the number of fat cells formed is sensitive to energy intake before 12 weeks of age in the rat.

Type
Papers on General Nutrition
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1978

References

Bernard, A. & Van Elteren, P. H. (1973). Proc. K. ned. Akad. Wet. 358.Google Scholar
Burton, K. (1956). Biochem. J. 62, 315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carroll, K. K. (1965). J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 42, 516.Google Scholar
Desnoyers, F., Vodovar, N., Lapous, D. & Raulin, J. (1971). C.r, hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris 272, 2836.Google Scholar
DiGirolamo, M. & Mendlinger, S. (1971). Am. J. Physiol. 221, 859.Google Scholar
Enesco, M. & Leblond, C. P. (1962). J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 10, 530.Google Scholar
Goureau, M. F. & Raulin, J. (1970). Bull. Soc. Chim. biol. 52, 941.Google Scholar
Greenwood, M. R. C. & Hirsch, J. (1974). J. Lipid Res. 15, 474.Google Scholar
Gurr, M. I., Robinson, M. P., Kirtland, J. & Widdowson, E. M. (1976). Nutr. Metab. 20, 364.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hollenberg, C. H. & Vost, A. (1968). J. clin Invest. 47, 2485.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, P. R., Zucker, M., Cruce, J. A. F. & Hirsch, J. (1971). J. Lipid. Res. 12, 706.Google Scholar
Kirtland, J., Gurr, M. I., Saville, G. & Widdowson, E. M. (1975). Nature, Lond. 256, 723.Google Scholar
Kirtland, J., Gurr, M. I. & Widdowson, E. M. (1976). Nutr. Metab. 20, 338.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Launay, M., Dauvillier, P. & Raulin, J. (1969). Bull. Soc. Chim. biol. 51, 95.Google Scholar
Launay, M., Richard, M., Alavoine, R. & Raulin, J. (1972). Nutr. Rep. int. 5, 339.Google Scholar
Launay, M., Vodovar, N. & Raulin, J. (1968). Bull. Soc. Chim. biol. 50, 439.Google Scholar
Lemonnier, D. (1969). In Physiopathology of Adipose Tissue, p. 197 [Vague, J., editor]. Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica.Google Scholar
Lemonnier, D. (1972). J. clin. Invest. 51, 2907.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pavey, D. E., Widdowson, E. M. & Robinson, M. P. (1976). Nutr. Metab. 20, 351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raulin, J., Lapous, D., Dauvillier, P. & Loriette, C. (1971). Nutr. Metab. 13, 249.Google Scholar
Raulin, J. & Launay, M. (1967). Nutr. Diet. 9, 208.Google Scholar
Rodbell, M. (1964). J. biol. chem. 239, 375.Google Scholar
Sjöström, L., Björntorp, P. & Vrána, J. (1971). J. Lipid Res. 12, 521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vergroesen, A. J. (1975). Role of Fats in Human Nutrition. New York: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Widdowson, E. M. (1950). Nature, Lond. 166, 626.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Widdowson, E. M. (1973). In Nutritional Problems in a Changing World, p. 101 [D., Hollingsworth and M., Russell, editors]. London: Applied Science Publishers Ltd.Google Scholar
Widdowson, E. M., Dauncey, M. J., Gairdner, D. M. T., Jonxis, J. H. P. & Pelikan-Filipkova, M. (1975). Br. med. J. ii, 653.Google Scholar