Characterization of Immune Cells from Adipose Tissue

Area of Science:

• Metabolic homeostasis
• Immunology
• Adipose tissue biology

Background:

• Adipose tissue (AT) is crucial for metabolic homeostasis and harbors diverse immune cells.
• The adipo-immune system dynamically changes with organismal physiology and AT remodeling.
• Immune cell quantity and quality significantly impact AT function, both adaptively and maladaptively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present protocols for assessing the immune cell dynamics within adipose tissue.
• To establish a method for creating comprehensive censuses of adipose-resident immune cells.
• To introduce Adipo-Immune Profiles (AIPs) as a tool for evaluating AT health and function.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing flow cytometry to enumerate various immune cell types residing in AT.
• Developing standardized protocols for immune cell isolation and analysis from adipose tissue.
• Constructing detailed Adipo-Immune Profiles (AIPs) based on immune cell censuses.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the feasibility of generating detailed immune cell profiles from AT.
• Established a quantitative approach to characterize the adipo-immune system.
• Provided reproducible protocols for Adipo-Immune Profile (AIP) generation.

Conclusions:

• Adipo-Immune Profiles (AIPs) offer a robust method for assessing AT immune status.
• Characterizing the adipo-immune system is integral to understanding AT health and metabolic function.
• These protocols facilitate deeper insights into the interplay between immunity and metabolism in AT.