Two fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are expressed in adipose tissue, adipocyte lipid binding protein (ALBP) and keratinocyte lipid binding protein (KLBP). This study investigated FABP expression in visceral and subcutaneous human adipose tissue depots and associations with lipolytic differences between the depots and circulating insulin concentrations. ALBP and KLBP (protein and RNA) were quantified in subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue from obese individuals and expressed relative to actin. ALBP RNA and protein expression was significantly higher in subcutaneous compared to omental adipose tissue (both p < 0.05), whereas KLBP RNA and protein expression was no different between the two sites. There were significant inverse correlations between serum insulin concentrations and the ALBP/KLBP RNA ratio in both subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue (both p < 0.02). Basal rates of glycerol and fatty acid release measured in adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue were significantly higher in the former (p < or = 0.02). Therefore the relative ALBP/KLBP content of human adipose tissue is different in different adipose tissue depots and at the RNA level is related to the circulating insulin concentration, at least in obese subjects. The higher rates of basal lipolysis in adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous compared to omental adipose tissue might be related to the increased ALBP content of the former. Therefore adipose tissue FABPs are interesting candidates for investigation to further our understanding of the insulin resistance syndrome and regulation of lipolysis.