Hormonal lipolysis regulation is the precise control mechanism exerted by the endocrine system over the breakdown of triglycerides stored within adipocytes into glycerol and free fatty acids. This regulatory process is a dynamic, minute-to-minute balancing act, governed by the opposing actions of various hormones that either promote or inhibit fat breakdown. Maintaining appropriate regulation is essential for providing energy substrates to other tissues during fasting or exercise while preventing excessive or inappropriate fat mobilization. Dysfunction in this regulatory system is a central feature of dyslipidemia and insulin resistance.
Origin
This term is a core concept in endocrinology and lipid metabolism, combining “hormonal,” referring to endocrine control, with “lipolysis regulation,” the process of controlling fat breakdown. The understanding of this regulatory network grew from the identification of key enzymes and the discovery of hormones like insulin and catecholamines that directly modulate their activity. It highlights the systemic control over adipose tissue function.
Mechanism
The primary stimulatory hormones, such as catecholamines and growth hormone, bind to their respective receptors on the adipocyte membrane, activating adenylyl cyclase and increasing intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP). Elevated cAMP then activates Protein Kinase A (PKA), which phosphorylates and activates Hormone-Sensitive Lipase (HSL) and Perilipin, accelerating the breakdown of stored triglycerides. Conversely, insulin, the main inhibitory hormone, activates phosphodiesterase, which degrades cAMP, thereby deactivating HSL and shutting down the lipolytic cascade.
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