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Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Human Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Sampling Using a Mini-Liposuction Technique
Published on: September 27, 2021
Gluteal femoral subcutaneous and dermal adipose tissue in female
Giamaica Conti1,2, Nicola Zingaretti2,3, Alice Busato1
1Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, School of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Background:
During the sexual maturation, gluteal femoral adipose tissue is subjected to numerous modifications, not observable in other regions, in particular in women and less in men. Other authors described this region, but they used imaging techniques having lower resolution, than MRI proposed in this study. High resolution imaging techniques might provide important and more detailed information about the anatomy of gluteal femoral region.
Methods:
This study has been performed using 7 T-magnetic resonance imaging and ultrastructural analysis in order to provide accurate description of the subcutaneous adipose tissue and dermis of gluteal femoral region. In this study specimens harvested from cadavers and form living patients have been analyzed.
Results:
The results showed the presence of three layers: superficial, middle, and deep, characterized by different organization of fat lobules. High resolution imaging showed the adipose papilla that originates from dermis and protrude in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Adipose papilla is characterized by a peculiar morphology with a basement, a neck and a head and these elements represent the functional subunits of adipose papilla. Moreover, ultrastructural study evidenced the relationship between adipocytes and sweat glands, regulated by lipid vesicles.
Conclusions:
This study provides important information about subcutaneous and dermal fat anatomy of gluteal femoral region, improving the past knowledge, and move toward a better understanding of the cellulite physiopathology.
