Role of autophagy in adipose tissue: Implications for metabolic health

Autophagy is increasingly considered a key regulator of adipose tissue biology, with growing evidence linking this cellular degradation pathway to crucial aspects of metabolic health. In recent years, research has revealed that autophagy influences adipocyte differentiation, lipid handling, mitochondrial quality control, and inflammatory responses within adipose depots. These functions are essential for maintaining the plasticity and functionality of both white and brown adipose depots. As our understanding of how autophagy shapes fat tissue dynamics grows, this process is emerging as a promising target for treating obesity and related metabolic disorders. Future clinical applications may involve precision therapeutics that combine pharmacological, dietary, and genetic tools to modulate autophagy in an adipose tissue-specific and personalized manner. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the role of autophagy in adipose tissue physiology and its impact on systemic metabolism. We also discuss how autophagy dysregulation contributes to metabolic diseases such as obesity and insulin resistance, and therefore its potential use as a therapeutic target in clinical practice.