Adrenergic lipolysis in immobilized and perfused adipocytes.

The method of cellular immobilization and perfusion was applied to adipocytes. The lipolytic effect of isoprenaline, whose action is produced as a result of receptor-drug interaction, was followed. An agarose solution kept at at 37 degrees C was mixed 1:1 with the cell suspension. Thereafter, adipocytes were immobilized in the agarose threads. The lipolytic effect of 0.1 ml of isoprenaline (1 x 10(-4) mol/l), that was rapidly introduced to the cell perfusion inlet in a non-recirculating system, was monitored by assessing glycerol production. The immobilized and perfused adipocytes exhibited significant lipolytic activity. After reaching the maximum effect, 0.1 ml of propranolol (1 x 10(-3) mol/l) that was applied to the bioreactor inlet, abolished the isoprenaline effect. The present data demonstrate the potential applicability of immobilized perfused adipocytes for various kinds of studies.