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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Measurement of Fatty Acid β-Oxidation in a Suspension of Freshly Isolated Mouse Hepatocytes
Published on: September 9, 2021
Mechanisms of hepatic fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis during fasting
Philip M M Ruppert1, Sander Kersten2
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5000 C Odense, Denmark.
Abstract:
Fasting is part of many weight management and health-boosting regimens. Fasting causes substantial metabolic adaptations in the liver that include the stimulation of fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis. The induction of fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis during fasting is mainly driven by interrelated changes in plasma levels of various hormones and an increase in plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) levels and is mediated transcriptionally by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)α, supported by CREB3L3 (cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein 3 like 3). Compared with men, women exhibit higher ketone levels during fasting, likely due to higher NEFA availability, suggesting that the metabolic response to fasting shows sexual dimorphism. Here, we synthesize the current molecular knowledge on the impact of fasting on hepatic fatty acid oxidation and ketogenesis.
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