Meeting Abstract

P3.214  Tuesday, Jan. 6  Norepinephrine stimulated fatty acid mobilization in hibernating ground squirrels (Spermophilus tridecemlineatus) PRICE, Edwin R*; ARMSTRONG, Christopher; STAPLES, James F; GUGLIELMO, Chistopher G; University of Western Ontario; University of Western Ontario; University of Western Ontario; University of Western Ontario eprice3@uwo.ca

Hibernating mammals rely almost exclusively on lipid to fuel hibernation and arousal, so adipose tissue must deliver adequate stored fat to the circulation, even at temperatures that approach 0 degrees C. We excised white adipose tissue from thirteen-lined ground squirrels in late summer and in hibernation and incubated it with epinephrine at either 4 or 37 C. Measurements of glycerol released to the incubation medium indicate that squirrels had higher rates of lipolysis during hibernation at both temperatures. The data suggest that adipose tissue may become more responsive to catecholamines during hibernation. Further research will focus on selective mobilization/retention of particular fatty acids during the hibernation phase.