The hepatic uptake of individual free fatty acids in sheep during noradrenaline infusion

Hepatic portal and arterial blood flow and the net hepatic uptake of individual free fatty acids (FFA) were measured in sheep during intravenous infusions of saline and noradrenaline (2 μg kg−1 min−1). During noradrenaline infusion the FFA increased in the circulating (arterial) plasma in amounts oleate > palmitate > stearate. Changes in the hepatic uptake of FFA opposed these changes in plasma FFA composition; the hepatic uptake of oleate increased more than that of palmitate, and the uptake of stearate fell slightly, but not significantly.