The effects of repeated local immune challenges with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) over 24 h on basal and noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis and the development of sensitivity to interleukin-4 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha in adipocytes associated with lymph nodes were studied in adult guinea-pigs. Properties characteristic of perinodal adipocytes appeared in adipocytes at least 10 mm from the locally stimulated popliteal lymph node within 12 h, and in other node-containing depots over 24 h. All effects appeared first in perinodal adipocytes and spread as though in response to signals emanating from the enclosed lymph node. The popliteal depot was more completely activated than the mesenteric, but its maximum rate of lipolysis/100 adipocytes was lower. None of the pre-treatments in vivo, nor incubation with cytokines in vitro modulated lipolysis in adipocytes from the nodeless perirenal depot. The sensitivity of the perinodal adipocytes to cytokines changed within 3 h of immune stimulation, preceding detectable increases in lipolysis. Cytokine-stimulated and noradrenaline-stimulated lipolysis sum, suggesting separate pathways. We conclude that sustained local activation of a single popliteal lymph node recruits additional adipocytes in node-containing depots only. Signals spread from lymph nodes to surrounding adipocytes, but the time courses of activation of adipocytes and their maximum responses differ between the mesenteric and popliteal depots.