The effects of dietary fat and age on adipose tissue composition and fatty acid synthesis levels in strain A/ST mice

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Authors
Behrman, Roger L.
Advisor
Bennett, Alice S.
Issue Date
1990
Keyword
Degree
Thesis (M.S.)
Department
Department of Biology
Other Identifiers
Abstract

Differences in fatty acid distributions in adipose tissue and fatty acid synthetase levels in the liver were determined in Strain A/ST mice of different ages and diets. Since fatty acids have been found to be influential in many disease processes such as heart disease and cancer, which become more prevalent with increasing age, it is important to understand the processes of fat metabolism and changes that occur during the life-stage of senescence. Fatty acid distributions were determined by gas liquid chromatography and fatty acid synthetase (FAS) activities by spectrophotometry.The data from FAS analyses indicated that the mice fed the highfat palmitic acid and low-fat corn oil diets were similar to previous research. The mice fed the stearic acid diets had FAS activity that was affected in a very different manner than other high-fat diets.The results of this study also indicated that aging does not significantly effect the distribution of fatty acids in the adipose tissue of experimental mice. Weight gain in the middle age mice appears to be the result of an increase in all types of fatty acids and not just increased storage of one or a few types.

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