Ketogenesis in chick embryo isolated hepatocytes.

Isolated hepatocytes from 17-day chick embryos exhibit high endogenous rates of ketogenesis. The addition of long-chain fatty acids stimulated ketogenesis with potency ordered as follows: palmitate greater than oleate greater than stearate. Octanoate produced a slight stimulation of ketogenesis when added at low concentrations (less than 0.25 mM). At higher concentrations the effect of octanoate was inhibitory. The addition of glucose to incubations failed to lessen endogenous ketogenesis whereas propionate, pyruvate and lactate produced inhibition. Ketogenesis from both endogenous sources and added fatty acids was not altered by the addition of glucagon, insulin, adrenalin or vasopresin.