ADIPOSE Flashcards
A researcher is studying how adipose tissue development is regulated at the molecular level. One key process involves the differentiation of precursor cells into adipocytes.
Question: What type of cell differentiates into adipocytes during adipogenesis?
A) Fibroblast
B) Mesenchymal stem cell
C) Myoblast
D) Osteoblast
B) Mesenchymal stem cell
Rationale: Adipocytes develop from mesenchymal stem cells through the process of adipogenesis, which is regulated by various transcription factors.
A 60-year-old male is diagnosed with abdominal obesity and chronic inflammation. His adipocytes secrete elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Question: Which pro-inflammatory cytokine is commonly secreted by adipocytes and contributes to chronic inflammation in obesity?
A) Interleukin-10 (IL-10)
B) Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)
C) Adiponectin
D) Leptin
B) Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)
Rationale: TNF-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted by adipocytes, especially in the context of obesity, and contributes to chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.
A researcher is studying the hormonal activity of adipose tissue and finds that certain hormones secreted by adipocytes are involved in regulating energy balance.
Question: Which of the following is a hormone secreted by adipocytes that helps regulate hunger and satiety?
A) Leptin
B) Ghrelin
C) Cortisol
D) Adrenaline
A) Leptin
Rationale: Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes that helps regulate hunger by signaling satiety to the brain, thus playing a role in energy balance.
A 5-year-old child is evaluated for a metabolic disorder that affects the body’s ability to store fat. The condition results in a lack of adipose tissue development.
Question: What term is used to describe the absence or abnormal lack of adipose tissue?
A) Hyperadiposity
B) Lipodystrophy
C) Adipogenesis
D) Lipomatosis
B) Lipodystrophy
Rationale: Lipodystrophy refers to a condition in which there is an absence or abnormal distribution of adipose tissue, leading to metabolic complications.
A patient with type 2 diabetes is found to have low levels of adiponectin, a hormone produced by adipose tissue.
Question: What effect does adiponectin have on insulin sensitivity?
A) Decreases insulin sensitivity
B) Increases insulin sensitivity
C) Stimulates insulin secretion
D) Reduces glucose uptake by cells
B) Increases insulin sensitivity
Rationale: Adiponectin, a hormone secreted by adipocytes, increases insulin sensitivity and has anti-inflammatory effects, particularly in metabolic conditions.
A patient is experiencing impaired thermoregulation. A deficiency in brown adipose tissue is suspected, as brown adipose tissue is rich in a certain type of organelle responsible for heat generation.
Question: Which organelle is abundant in brown adipose tissue and responsible for heat production?
A) Ribosome
B) Golgi apparatus
C) Mitochondria
D) Endoplasmic reticulum
C) Mitochondria
Rationale: Brown adipose tissue contains numerous mitochondria, which generate heat through non-shivering thermogenesis.
A 35-year-old male is participating in a study on weight gain. His adipocytes are found to be increasing in number due to long-term overconsumption of calories.
Question: What term describes the increase in adipocyte number?
A) Hypertrophy
B) Hyperplasia
C) Lipogenesis
D) Lipolysis
B) Hyperplasia
Rationale: Hyperplasia refers to the increase in the number of cells, including adipocytes, which can occur in response to long-term overnutrition.
A patient is being evaluated for a metabolic disorder. Imaging shows that a large proportion of the patient’s body mass is composed of fat, particularly around the abdominal area.
Question: Which type of adipose tissue is primarily responsible for energy storage in the form of triglycerides?
A) Brown adipose tissue
B) White adipose tissue
C) Multilocular adipose tissue
D) Reticular tissue
Answer: B) White adipose tissue
Rationale: White adipose tissue is the primary site for energy storage in the form of triglycerides and is the most abundant type of adipose tissue in adults.
A newborn infant is placed in a cold environment and is able to maintain its body temperature despite the lack of shivering.
Question: Which type of adipose tissue is most likely responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis in this infant?
A) White adipose tissue
B) Brown adipose tissue
C) Beige adipose tissue
D) Elastic connective tissue
B) Brown adipose tissue
Rationale: Brown adipose tissue is specialized for heat production through non-shivering thermogenesis, which is especially important in newborns.
A 45-year-old male is diagnosed with insulin resistance and obesity. His adipocytes show an abnormal increase in size.
Question: What is the most likely explanation for the increase in adipocyte size in this patient?
A) Hypertrophy of adipocytes due to increased fat storage
B) Hyperplasia of adipocytes due to increased cell division
C) Decrease in the number of adipocytes
D) Increase in brown adipose tissue
A) Hypertrophy of adipocytes due to increased fat storage
Rationale: In obesity, adipocytes undergo hypertrophy, which means they increase in size due to the accumulation of more triglycerides.
A researcher studying thermogenesis in adults finds that some white adipose tissue begins to take on characteristics of brown adipose tissue after prolonged cold exposure.
Question: This phenomenon is referred to as:
A) Brown adipose tissue expansion
B) White adipose tissue browning
C) Adipocyte hypertrophy
D) Lipolysis
B) White adipose tissue browning
Rationale: “Browning” refers to the process where white adipocytes gain characteristics of brown adipocytes, including increased mitochondrial content and thermogenic capacity.
A patient with hyperlipidemia is undergoing treatment to reduce serum triglycerides. The patient is asked to follow a low-fat diet.
Question: What role do adipocytes play in lipid metabolism?
A) They produce cholesterol for distribution in the body.
B) They store triglycerides and release free fatty acids through lipolysis.
C) They synthesize bile acids for digestion.
D) They produce lipoproteins for fat transport.
B) They store triglycerides and release free fatty acids through lipolysis.
Rationale: Adipocytes store triglycerides and, when needed, break them down through lipolysis to release free fatty acids into the bloodstream.
A 10-year-old child presents with metabolic syndrome and early signs of insulin resistance. Examination reveals a high percentage of body fat, especially in the abdominal area.
Question: Which type of adipose tissue accumulation is most strongly associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome?
A) Subcutaneous white adipose tissue
B) Visceral white adipose tissue
C) Brown adipose tissue
D) Intramuscular fat
B) Visceral white adipose tissue
Rationale: Visceral fat, which is stored around internal organs, is more strongly associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome than subcutaneous fat.
A patient is undergoing a study to assess fat distribution and its role in metabolic health. The study finds that the patient has a higher proportion of brown adipose tissue.
Question: What characteristic of brown adipose tissue makes it specialized for thermogenesis?
A) Large lipid droplets
B) High number of mitochondria
C) Dense collagen network
D) Production of insulin
B) High number of mitochondria
Rationale: Brown adipose tissue has a high number of mitochondria, which allow it to generate heat through thermogenesis.
A patient is diagnosed with lipodystrophy, a condition characterized by abnormal distribution of body fat.
Question: Which of the following is most likely affected in this condition?
A) Excessive accumulation of brown adipose tissue
B) Dysfunction in the storage and distribution of triglycerides by white adipose tissue
C) Increased collagen deposition in adipose tissue
D) Increased breakdown of proteins
B) Dysfunction in the storage and distribution of triglycerides by white adipose tissue
Rationale: Lipodystrophy involves abnormalities in the storage and distribution of fat, primarily affecting white adipose tissue.
