Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

09:48
Differentiated Mouse Adipocytes in Primary Culture: A Model of Insulin Resistance
Published on: February 17, 2023
[Obesity and insulin resistance].
Yoshikazu Tamori1, Masato Kasuga
1Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine.
Nihon Rinsho. Japanese Journal of Clinical Medicine
|February 11, 2009
Summary
Obesity causes insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome by increasing adipocyte size and number. Reducing inflammation in adipose tissue and liver may treat insulin resistance.
Area of Science:
- Metabolic disorders
- Immunology
- Cell biology
Context:
- Obesity is a global health crisis linked to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.
- Adipocyte hypertrophy and hyperplasia are key determinants of obesity.
- Chronic inflammation in insulin-sensitive tissues is a proposed mediator between obesity and insulin resistance.
Purpose:
- To elucidate the mechanisms regulating adipocyte size and number.
- To understand the role of inflammation in mediating obesity-induced insulin resistance.
- To explore the involvement of myeloid cells and inflammatory pathways in adipose tissue and liver.
Summary:
- Excessive triacylglycerol storage in adipocytes triggers macrophage infiltration, leading to inflammation and altered adipokine secretion.
- Inflammatory pathways are activated in both adipose tissue and the liver.
- Myeloid cell involvement in inflammation contributes to systemic insulin resistance.
Impact:
- Understanding these inflammatory mechanisms is crucial for developing interventions against insulin resistance.
- Targeting inflammation presents a potential therapeutic strategy for managing obesity-related metabolic dysfunction.
- This research highlights the interconnectedness of adipose tissue, liver, and immune cells in metabolic health.
Related Concept Videos
Obesity
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
PathophysiologyType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM ) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and progressive pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, leading to impaired glucose homeostasis. It results from interactions among genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and metabolic stressors, such as overnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle.Insulin Resistance and Glucose DysregulationEarly T2DM involves insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and the liver.
Type II Diabetes I: Introduction
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, in which target tissues such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue respond poorly to insulin. It is also associated with inadequate compensatory insulin secretion, where pancreatic β-cells fail to produce sufficient insulin. Together, these abnormalities lead to persistent hyperglycemia.EtiologyT2DM develops through a complex interaction of genetic predisposition and environmental or...
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Carbohydrates are polymers composed of molecules containing atoms of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. One gram of carbohydrate can provide four kilo-calories of energy, which makes it the most efficient instant energy source.
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in the...
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in the...
Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
Type I Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
Type 1 diabetes mellitus arises from an immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells, resulting in an absolute deficiency of insulin. This process develops in genetically susceptible individuals when autoimmunity, environmental exposures, and immunologic dysregulation converge to trigger a targeted attack on the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The β-cells are located within the islets of Langerhans and are essential for regulating blood glucose by facilitating cellular uptake of...

