Lipolytic activity of swine adipocytes

Lipolysis in isolated swine adipocytes was stimulated by epinephrine, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, and weakly by adrenocorticotropin but not by glucagon or cyclic AMP. Theophylline, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, stimulated lipolysis and greatly enhanced the activity of adrenocorticotropin. The epinephrine-stimulated lipolytic activity, expressed on a tissue or cell volume basis, was greatest at 25 days postpartum, whereas, expressed on a cell basis, the activity was maximal at day 80. Regardless of the mode of expression, the activity at day 150 was low. Cells from younger animals were more sensitive to epinephrine than cells from older animals.