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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Isolation and Identification of Vascular Endothelial Cells from Distinct Adipose Depots for Downstream Applications
Published on: June 10, 2022
Pancreatic contamination of mesenteric adipose tissue samples can be avoided by adjusted dissection procedures
Robert Caesar1, Christian A Drevon
1Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. l.e.r.caesar@medisin.uio.no
Abstract:
Mesenteric adipose tissue, located in the mesenterium of the intestines, is believed to play a central role in the development of obesity-related diseases. We have found that mesenteric fat samples harvested from rodents are frequently of poor quality, exhibiting partly degraded RNA. To investigate the background for this observation, we screened adipose tissue samples from two independent studies on rodents for markers of different tissues and cell types. We found that mesenteric adipose tissue samples of low quality are "contaminated" by pancreatic tissue. To locate the affected area, we dissected the mesenteric fat depots from 14 mice and measured abundance of pancreas-specific gene expression and amylase activity. As expected, we observed that the proximal section of the mesenterium, located near the pancreas, expressed pancreatic markers, whereas the distal sections did not. Approximately one-third of the mesenteric adipose tissue depots contained pancreatic tissue. Because the boundary between pancreas and mesenteric fat cannot be easily distinguished during dissection, we conclude that investigators should routinely exclude the proximal section of the mesenteric adipose tissue depot to avoid pancreatic contamination.
Insights
Pancreatic tissue contamination in rodent mesenteric fat samples degrades RNA quality. Researchers should exclude the proximal section of mesenteric fat to ensure sample integrity for obesity research.
Area of Science:
- Adipose tissue biology
- Molecular biology
- Obesity research
Background:
- Mesenteric adipose tissue is crucial in obesity-related diseases.
- Poor RNA quality is frequently observed in rodent mesenteric fat samples.
- Pancreatic tissue contamination is a potential cause of sample degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the cause of poor RNA quality in mesenteric fat samples.
- Identify contaminants in rodent mesenteric adipose tissue.
- Determine the extent and location of pancreatic contamination.
Main Methods:
- Screening adipose tissue samples for tissue and cell-specific markers.
- Dissecting mouse mesenteric fat depots.
- Measuring pancreas-specific gene expression and amylase activity.
Main Results:
- Low-quality mesenteric fat samples were contaminated with pancreatic tissue.
- Proximal mesenteric fat sections showed pancreatic markers and activity.
- Approximately one-third of mesenteric adipose tissue depots contained pancreatic tissue.
Conclusions:
- Pancreatic tissue contamination affects mesenteric fat sample quality.
- The proximal mesenteric fat depot is prone to contamination due to proximity to the pancreas.
- Routine exclusion of the proximal mesenteric fat section is recommended to avoid contamination and ensure reliable research outcomes.
