Errors in metabolic regulation. A regulatory defect in the human adipocyte.

Some of the control elements required for the fine regulation of metabolic processes in the adipocyte are described. These include substrate carriers, hormone receptors, allosteric enzymes and template surfaces. A possible example of an acquired defect of a rate-determining enzyme of glycolysis in the lipoma adipocyte is described. This is manifest as an impaired sensitivity of phosphofructokinase to feedback inhibtion by citrate. The orgin and consequences of this lesion are discussed.