Male rats were submitted for 3 wk either to portacaval shunt or to portacaval transposition. In both cases, sham-operated pair-fed rats served as controls. After an overnight fast, insulinemia was similar in all groups, but glucagonemia was significantly higher (by 65%) and serum glucose significantly lower (by 35%) in rats with a portacaval shunt. The lipid metabolism of epididymal adipose tissue was studied in vitro, as well as in vivo. In rats with a portacaval shunt, in vitro lipogenesis from [U-14C]glucose, [1-14C]acetate, or 3H2o was 60-80% lower than in sham-operated pair-fed controls. Twice as much in vitro basal lipolysis could be determined. In addition, in vivo lipogenesis from 3H2O was markedly decreased (6 times). By contrast, in rats with portacaval transposition, in vitro lipogenesis was higher (by 80-140%) and basal lipolysis lower (by 63%) than in pair-fed controls. Thus, even when the nutritional state was taken into consideration, the type of portal diversion was the determining factor in influencing lipid metabolism in epididymal adipose tissue.