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Updated: Feb 8, 2026

Isolation and Differentiation of Primary White and Brown Preadipocytes from Newborn Mice
Published on: January 25, 2021
Reversible De-differentiation of Mature White Adipocytes into Preadipocyte-like Precursors during Lactation
Qiong A Wang1, Anying Song2, Wanze Chen3
1Touchstone Diabetes Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75390-8549, USA; Department of Molecular & Cellular Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Research Institute, City of Hope/Beckman Research Institute, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
Abstract:
Adipose tissue in the mammary gland undergoes dramatic remodeling during reproduction. Adipocytes are replaced by mammary alveolar structures during pregnancy and lactation, then reappear upon weaning. The fate of the original adipocytes during lactation and the developmental origin of the re-appearing adipocyte post involution are unclear. Here, we reveal that adipocytes in the mammary gland de-differentiate into Pdgfrα+ preadipocyte- and fibroblast-like cells during pregnancy and remain de-differentiated during lactation. Upon weaning, de-differentiated fibroblasts proliferate and re-differentiate into adipocytes. This cycle occurs over multiple pregnancies. These observations reveal the potential of terminally differentiated adipocytes to undergo repeated cycles of de-differentiation and re-differentiation in a physiological setting.
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