adipose tissue

Definition: Adipose tissue is a loose connective tissue composed mostly of adipocytes.

In addition to adipocytes, adipose tissue contains the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of cells including preadipocytes, fibroblasts, vascular endothelial cells and a variety of immune cells such as adipose tissue macrophages.

Adipose tissue is derived from preadipocytes.

Its main role is to store energy in the form of lipids, although it also cushions and insulates the body.

Far from being hormonally inert, adipose tissue has, in recent years, been recognized as a major endocrine organ, as it produces hormones such as leptin, estrogen, resistin, and the cytokine TNFα.

The two types of adipose tissue are white adipose tissue (WAT), which stores energy, and brown adipose tissue (BAT), which generates body heat.

The formation of adipose tissue appears to be controlled in part by the adipose gene.

Images

 Adipose tissue

• https://twitter.com/Chapman_Histo/status/814303933334257664

Types

 visceral fat depots
 subcutaneous fat depots

Components

 adipose lobules

• adipocytes

 adipose interlobualr septa

Pathology

 anomalies of the adipose tissue
 adipose tissue tumors

• adipocytic tumors / adipous tumors

References

 Sethi JK, Vidal-Puig A. Visfatin: the missing link between intra-abdominal obesity and diabetes? Trends Mol Med. 2005 Aug;11(8):344-7. PMID: 16005682