Cellular Heterogeneity in Adipose Tissues.

Area of Science:

• * Metabolic research
• * Cellular biology
• * Immunology

Background:

• * Adipose tissue depots are crucial for metabolism, energy storage, and thermogenesis.
• * Mature adipocytes constitute less than 50% of adipose tissue cellular content, despite occupying over 90% of its volume.
• * The cellular heterogeneity of adipose tissue is key to its function.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To review recent advances in identifying heterogeneous cell populations in adipose tissue.
• * To explore the roles of these cells in adipose tissue development and function.
• * To highlight insights into metabolic disease mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• * Genetic lineage tracing in mouse and human models.
• * Transcriptomic analyses to identify cell identities.
• * Review of existing scientific literature and publicly available data.

Main Results:

• * Identification of diverse cell types in adipose tissue, including adipocytes, progenitors, endothelial cells, and immune cells.
• * Discovery of progenitor subtypes that regulate adipogenic capacity via paracrine signaling.
• * Characterization of monocyte/macrophage lineage trajectories and their maladaptive responses in metabolic disease.

Conclusions:

• * Adipose tissue cellular composition is more complex than previously thought, with non-adipocyte cells playing critical roles.
• * Progenitor cells and immune cells significantly influence adipose tissue function and metabolic health.
• * Understanding cellular dynamics in adipose tissue is vital for developing strategies against metabolic diseases.