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Updated: Jul 15, 2025
Characterization of Immune Cells in Human Adipose Tissue by Using Flow Cytometry
Published on: March 6, 2018
Immune cells in adipose tissue microenvironment under physiological and obese conditions
1Key Laboratory of Endocrinology of National Health Commission, Department of Endocrinology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.
Purpose:
This review will focus on the immune cells in adipose tissue microenvironment and their regulatory roles in metabolic homeostasis of adipose tissue and even the whole body under physiological and obese conditions.
Methods:
This review used PubMed searches of current literature to examine adipose tissue immune cells and cytokines, as well as the complex interactions between them.
Results:
Aside from serving as a passive energy depot, adipose tissue has shown specific immunological function. Adipose tissue microenvironment is enriched with a large number of immune cells and cytokines, whose physiological regulation plays a crucial role for metabolic homeostasis. However, obesity causes pro-inflammatory alterations in these adipose tissue immune cells, which have detrimental effects on metabolism and increase the susceptibility of individuals to the obesity related diseases.
Conclusions:
Adipose tissue microenvironment is enriched with various immune cells and cytokines, which regulate metabolic homeostasis of adipose tissue and even the whole body, whether under physiological or obese conditions. Targeting key immune cells and cytokines in adipose tissue microenvironment for obesity treatment becomes an attractive research point.
