Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Measuring the Rate of Lipolysis in Ex Vivo Murine Adipose Tissue and Primary Preadipocytes Differentiated In Vitro
Published on: March 17, 2023
Adipose tissue lipolysis is upregulated in lean and obese men during acute resistance exercise
Athanasios Chatzinikolaou1, Ioannis Fatouros, Anatoli Petridou
1Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, University of Thrace, Komotini, Greece.
Objective:
To investigate the effect of acute resistance exercise on adipose tissue triacylglycerol lipase activity (TGLA) in lean and obese men.
Research Design And Methods:
Nine lean and eight obese men performed 30 min of circuit resistance exercise. Adipose tissue and blood were sampled during exercise for TGLA, metabolite, and hormone determinations. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) was measured throughout exercise.
Results:
Energy expenditure of exercise relative to body mass was higher in the lean and RER was higher in the obese men, suggesting lower fat oxidation. TGLA increased 18-fold at 5 min of exercise in the lean men and 16-fold at 10 min of exercise in the obese men. The delayed lipolytic activation in the obese men was reflected in serum nonesterified fatty acid and glycerol concentrations. Plasma insulin increased in the obese but did not change in the lean men.
Conclusions:
Resistance exercise upregulated adipose tissue lipolysis and enhanced energy expenditure in lean and obese men, with a delayed lipolytic activation in the obese men.
Related Concept Videos
Overview of Lipid Metabolism
Lipolysis: The Breakdown of Lipids:
Lipolysis is the process of breaking down lipids, particularly triglycerides, into glycerol and fatty acids. This process typically occurs in the adipose tissue and is triggered by various hormones, including glucagon and...
Fats as Energy Storage Molecules
Obesity
Hypodermis

