Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026
07:09
Isolation of Adipose Tissue Immune Cells
Published on: May 22, 2013
Innate immune activation in obesity
1Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, United States. clumeng@umich.ed
Molecular Aspects of Medicine
|October 17, 2012
Summary
The innate immune system responds to physiological changes in obesity, contributing to disease. Anti-inflammatory therapies targeting innate immunity may treat obesity-related conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Area of Science:
- Immunology and metabolic disease research.
- Focus on the innate immune system's role in metabolic dysfunction.
Background:
- The innate immune system defends against physiological disruptions.
- Obesity activates innate immune components, leading to chronic inflammation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review innate immune system components involved in obesity.
- To discuss their contribution to obesity-associated disease pathogenesis.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of innate immunity and obesity.
- Analysis of evidence linking innate inflammation to metabolic diseases.
Main Results:
- Innate inflammatory pathways are activated by obesity.
- These pathways link obesity to diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Conclusions:
- Innate immune responses are central to obesity-associated pathology.
- Anti-inflammatory strategies targeting innate immunity show therapeutic potential.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
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...
01:25Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Crohn's Disease
Crohn’s disease is a chronic, relapsing form of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by segmental, transmural inflammation that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Its pathogenesis arises from a combination of genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, epithelial barrier dysfunction, and immune dysregulation. Together, these factors lead to an exaggerated immune response against components of the gut microbiome.Genetic and Environmental InfluencesMultiple genetic...
01:20Pharmacokinetics in Obese Patients: Drug Metabolism and Excretion
Drug metabolism, a critical process in the liver, involves two primary phases: Phase I reactions and Phase II conjugation. Obesity introduces significant alterations in this metabolic process, primarily due to fatty infiltration of the liver, leading to conditions such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This condition can modify the activities of both Phase I and II enzymes, impacting how drugs are metabolized in obese patients.Phase I metabolism sees variable effects across...
01:12Chronic Inflammation: Introduction
Chronic inflammation is a prolonged, dysregulated immune response that persists for weeks to years when the inciting stimulus is difficult to eradicate or when self‑antigens drive ongoing reactivity. Morphologically, it is defined by mononuclear cell infiltration, progressive tissue destruction, and concurrent attempts at healing via angiogenesis and fibrosis. Compared with acute inflammation, edema is less prominent while cellular infiltration predominates; triggers include persistent...
01:26Type 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...
02:26NF-κB-dependent Signaling Pathway
The transcription factor NF-κB was discovered in 1986 in the lab of Nobel laureate Professor David Baltimore, for its interaction with the immunoglobulin light chain enhancer in B-cells. After more than three decades of study, it is now evident that NF-κB regulates the expression of over 100 genes. Most of these genes play an essential role in the innate and adaptive immune responses as well as the inflammatory responses of animals.
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...
NF-κB-dependent Signaling Mechanism
The heterodimer of NF-κB...