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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
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Isolation of Adipose Tissue Immune Cells
Published on: May 22, 2013
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Adipose tissue as an immunological organ
Ryan W Grant1, Vishwa Deep Dixit
1Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.)
|January 23, 2015
Summary
Obese adipose tissue becomes inflamed, contributing to metabolic diseases like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Immune cells in fat play a key role in these obesity-associated comorbidities.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolism
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Adipose tissue is increasingly recognized as an immunologically active organ.
- Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.
- The interplay between immune cells and adipocytes in obesity is complex.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the immunological aspects of adipose tissue.
- To explore the role of adipose tissue inflammation in obesity-associated comorbidities.
Main Methods:
- Literature review using PubMed searches.
- Focus on adipose tissue leukocytosis in obesity.
Main Results:
- Obese adipose tissue exhibits inflammation with diverse immune cell infiltration (B cells, T cells, macrophages, neutrophils).
- Obesity alters immune cell quantity and type within adipose tissue.
- Adipose tissue acts as an endocrine and paracrine organ influencing whole-body metabolism.
Conclusions:
- Inflamed adipose tissue in obesity contributes to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
- Adipose tissue mounts both innate and adaptive immune responses.
- Understanding leukocyte-adipocyte interactions may reveal pathways for treating metabolic diseases and infectious susceptibility in obesity.
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