Release of free fatty acids by the rat kidney.

The authors studied the release of free fatty acids (FFA) by the rat kidney cortex. They found that the kidney cortex released FFA into the incubation medium like adipose tissue. The presence of Ca2+ ions did not affect FFA release. Glucose significantly inhibited it. It was further shown that the kidney cortex is sensitive to the akipokinetic action of adrenaline and the antilipolytic action of insulin, in the same way as adipose tissue. It is concluded from the results that the kidney cortex has a lipolytic system which seems to be subject to higher hormonal regulatory mechanisms.