The product of the recently cloned mouse obese (ob) gene is likely to play an important role
in a loop regulating the size of the adipose tissue mass. The hormonal regulation of the ob
gene could affect adiposity. To investigate this point, the effect of insulin on ob gene
expression was examined in cells of the 3T3-F442A preadipocyte clonal line. ob mRNA is
absent from exponentially growing, undifferentiated cells as well as from confluent
preadipose cells. Terminal differentiation of preadipose to adipose cells leads to the …