Hormonal and metabolic characteristics of genetically obese Zucker and dietary obese Sprague-Dawley rats.

Abstract. The endocrine‐metabolic plasma pattern and the capacit of isolated perfused livers to produce triglcerides and ketone bodies have been studied in geneticall and diet‐acquired obese rats (Zucker and Sprague‐Dawle obese rats), and in control groups of the same strains. An increased plasma insulin/glucagon molar ratio with hperinsulinaemia and hpoglucagonaemia was associated with hpertriglceridaemia, normal ketonaemia, elevated free fatt acids and normal or slight hperglcaemia in obese rats. During oleate perfusion, the livers of Zucker and Sprague‐Dawle obese rats showed an increase in triglceride output and liver triglceride content. The ketone bod output as well as the mitochondrial carnitine palmitol transferase activit were normal or slightl decreased. In our rat population, a positive correlation between the insulin/glucagon molar ratio and triglceride output has been found. Copyright © 1980, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved