Hepatic lipogenesis in genetically lean and fat chickens. In vitro studies.

1. Acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, malic enzyme, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and delta 9-desaturase activity was measured in liver extracts from 5- to 11-week-old genetically lean or fat chickens. 2. A significant difference between the two lines of chickens was shown as concerns desaturating activity only, which was 45% higher in the fat animals than in the lean ones. 3. This result is consistent with the hypothesis of a higher rate of lipoprotein processing and secretion in the liver of the fat line chickens.