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Updated: Aug 22, 2026
Mechanism of Regulation of Adipocyte Numbers in Adult Organisms Through Differentiation and Apoptosis Homeostasis
Published on: June 3, 2016
Age-dependent regulation of lipogenesis in human and rat adipocytes
Ashraf F Kamel1, Svante Norgren, Karin Strigård
1Department of Pediatrics, National Childhood Obesity Centre, Children's Hospital, Huddinge University Hospital, Karolinska Institute, S-141 86 Huddinge, Sweden.
Insights
Adipocyte (fat cell) metabolism, crucial for obesity development, is significantly higher in infants and children than adults. This early-life increase in fat cell lipogenesis may promote adipose tissue growth.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic Regulation
- Adipocyte Biology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Adipocyte metabolism is critical for adipose tissue expansion and obesity.
- Understanding age-related differences in adipocyte function is key to metabolic health.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate basal and insulin-induced lipogenesis, glucose transport, and transporter expression in human and rat adipocytes across age groups.
- Determine how adipocyte metabolism regulation varies with age.
Main Methods:
- Lipogenesis experiments were conducted in human (infants, children, adults) and rat (weaned, adult) adipocytes.
- Experiments were designed with glucose transport as the rate-limiting step.
- GLUT1 and GLUT4 protein content was assessed.
Main Results:
- Basal lipogenesis was ~3x higher in infant/child adipocytes vs. adults.
- Insulin-induced lipogenesis was 2x higher in infant adipocytes vs. children/adults.
- Weaned rats showed 2x higher basal and insulin-induced lipogenesis and glucose transport than adult rats, with no age-related differences in GLUT1/GLUT4.
Conclusions:
- Basal and insulin-stimulated lipogenesis are elevated in early-life adipocytes, potentially promoting adipose tissue growth.
- Age-dependent regulation of basal and insulin-stimulated lipogenesis differs.
- Glucose transporter (GLUT) expression does not explain age-related metabolic variations.
Abstract:
The regulation of adipocyte metabolism is of importance for adipose tissue growth and therefore also for the development of obesity. This study was designed to investigate the regulation of basal and insulin-induced lipogenesis, glucose transport, and glucose transporter protein expression in human and rat adipocytes from different age groups. The study included 21 infants, 21 children, nine adults, and 80 male weaned and 20 male adult Fischer rats. The lipogenesis experiments were performed under conditions at which glucose transport is rate limiting. Basal lipogenesis was approximately three times higher in infants and children than in adults, whereas insulin-induced lipogenesis was two times higher in infants than in children and adults. In rats, basal lipogenesis, insulin-induced lipogenesis, and insulin sensitivity were two times higher in weaned than in adult animals. Moreover, basal and insulin-induced glucose transport were two times higher in weaned than in adult rats. No differences were detected in GLUT1 or GLUT4 content between any of the age groups in human or in rat adipocytes. In conclusion, basal and insulin-stimulated lipogenesis are increased in adipocytes early in life. This may promote adipose tissue growth in early age. The data indicate that age-dependent variation in basal and insulin-stimulated lipogenesis is differently regulated.
