Perinatal lipogenesis in the liver and brown adipose tissue of the rat

1. Hepatic lipogenesis falls during late foetal life, reaching low levels soon after birth. 2. Of the lipogenic enzymes studied only changes in foetal liver acetyl-CoA carboxylase activities correlate well with the changes in lipogenic flux. 3. In contrast to liver, brown adipose tissue lipogenesis increases during late foetal life. 4. A similar developmental pattern in foetal brown adipose tissue was observed for the activities of a number of enzymes normally associated with lipogenesis. 5. The studies suggest the existence of different controls over the development of lipogenesis in the two tissues investigated during the perinatal period.