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Updated: Jul 31, 2026

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Localization, Identification, and Excision of Murine Adipose Depots
Published on: December 4, 2014
[Adipose tissue and obesity]
1Klinisches Institut für Herzinfarktforschung, Medizinischen Universitätsklinik, Heidelberg.
Therapeutische Umschau. Revue Therapeutique
|October 12, 2000
Summary
Adipose tissue is more than fat storage; it actively secretes signaling molecules regulating energy balance and immune functions. Mature fat cells can also change size and number throughout life.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Cell Biology
- Metabolic Research
Context:
- Adipose tissue, beyond energy storage, functions as an endocrine organ.
- Adipocytes release hormones, growth factors, and cytokines influencing systemic functions.
Purpose:
- To elucidate the multifaceted roles of adipose tissue and adipocytes.
- To explore the regulation of adipocyte number and fate.
- To highlight the involvement of adipose tissue in metabolic and immune processes.
Summary:
- Adipocytes secrete signaling molecules (e.g., leptin, TNF-alpha) involved in endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine regulation.
- Fat cells play roles in energy homeostasis, host defense, reproduction, and pathological states like insulin resistance.
- Adipose tissue exhibits depot-specific functions, and adipocyte populations are dynamic, with replication, dedifferentiation, and apoptosis occurring throughout life.
- Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma) is crucial for adipocyte differentiation and size regulation.
Impact:
- Understanding adipose tissue's endocrine function is key to metabolic disease research.
- Reveals dynamic nature of adipocyte populations, challenging previous notions.
- Identifies PPAR-gamma as a critical regulator in adipogenesis and fat cell biology.
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