Metabolic Functions of the Infrapatellar Fat Pad: Implications for Knee Health and Pathology

» Despite being historically viewed as a vestigial structure, the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) is now recognized as a metabolically active structure, influencing knee health through cytokine production and metabolic pathways.» With distinct anatomical regions, the IPFP contains diverse cell types including adipocytes, fibroblasts, and immune cells, influencing its functional roles, pathology, and contributions to knee disorders.» The IPFP acts as an endocrine organ by releasing adipokines such as adiponectin, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor α, regulating energy balance, immune responses, and tissue remodelling, with implications for knee joint health.» The IPFP's metabolic interactions with neighboring tissues influence joint health, clinical conditions such as knee pain, osteoarthritis, postoperative complications, and ganglion cysts, highlighting its therapeutic potential and clinical relevance.» Understanding the multifaceted metabolic role of the IPFP opens avenues for collaborative approaches that integrate orthopaedics, endocrinology, and immunology to develop innovative therapeutic strategies targeting the intricate connections between adipokines, joint health, and immune responses.