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Updated: Jul 28, 2025
Generation of Human Adipose Stem Cells through Dedifferentiation of Mature Adipocytes in Ceiling Cultures
Published on: March 7, 2015
Next-generation human adipose tissue culture methods
Volker M Lauschke1, Carolina E Hagberg2
1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden; Dr Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, 70 376 Stuttgart, Germany; University of Tübingen, 72 074 Tübingen, Germany.
Abstract:
White adipocytes are highly specialized, lipid-storing cells. Their unique characteristics, including their large cell size and high buoyancy, have made adipocytes hard to study in vitro. Most traditional monolayered adipocyte culture models also poorly reflect the morphology and expression of their mature counterparts. The recent invent of 3D adipocyte cultures seems to circumvent many of these shortcomings, and holds promise of improved adipocyte studies in vitro. Notable advances include vascularized and immunocompetent 3D adipose tissue models and organ-on-a-chip models. This short review aims to highlight some of the most recent advances, as well as discussing what challenges still lie ahead in order to develop culture models that are easily applicable, while adequately reflecting the characteristics of human adipose tissue.
