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SUMMARYThe importance of the different adipose deposits with respect to the total dissectible fatty tissue in growing rabbits and lambs was studied. Development of the subcutaneous fat in the lamb is late and occurs after birth. In contrast, the internal types of fat, such as the perirenal and pelvic fat, represent at birth an important percentage of the total fat. They tend to lose part of their relative importance between 0 and 250 days after birth. In the rabbit the situation concerning the development of subcutaneous and perirenal fat is inverted. For both species the intermuscular fat remains almost constant in relative importance during the whole growth period.After the period required for the establishment of the different fat deposits, we could observe in lambs, and to a smaller degree in rabbits, a relative growth which tends to become isometric with regard to the total fat deposits.

No abstract

The effects of surgical ablation of adipose tissue were studied in male New Zealand rabbits. They were lipectomized or sham-operated either at 6 or 12 months, ages at which size and number of adipocytes are, respectively, stabilized in this species. The lipectomized animals were subjected to removal of about 80% of the perirenal and omental and to the totality of the dorsoscapular and inguinal fat tissues. Approximately 35 and 48% of the total body fat were, thus, surgically removed, respectively, in 6-and 12-month-old rabbits. All rabbits were killed 3 months after surgery and were carefully dissected. There was no significant difference in food consumption and body weight gain between lipectomized and sham-operated rabbits. Surgical removal of dorsoxapular, inguinal, and omental fat did not lead to regeneration whereas regeneration of the perirenal fat was substantial. At sacrifice the perirenal weight reached approximately 55% of the initial weight. Regeneration of perirenal adipose tissue in adults proceeded at roughly the same rate as after lipectomy in younger rabbits. These results suggest that adipose tissue regeneration in the rabbit is site dependent. 258