Relationship of Age and Cellularity to Metabolic Activity in C57B Mice

Abstract

Our results indicate that isolated adipose cells from older mice convert glucose to carbon dioxide as rapidly as cells from young mice. Therefore, a slowed basal glucose conversion rate in isolated cell preparations is not exclusively age-related, but depends on the number of cells in the aliquot. Our data do not substantiate an age difference in rate of glucose conversion to CO2 per cell by adipocytes in C57B mice. Decreased insulin response in adipocytes may represent cell size changes rather than direct age-related changes.