Energy dissipation in brown fat.

Heat evolution in isolated brown fat cells has been measured by microcalorimetry. Thermogenesis (= oxygen consumption) is enhanced in the presence of CO2. This effect is probably due to pyruvate carboxylase activity which will increase the mitochondrial concentration of oxaloacetate. Oxaloacetate serves as condensing partner for acetyl-CoA coming from fatty acid oxidation. The high rate of oxygen consumption is impossible in cells when mitochondrial respiration is coupled to ATP synthesis, due to low amounts of ATP synthetase enzyme. A loosening of coupling is therefore required. This is possibly facilitated by acyl-CoA.