Metabolic studies of adipose tissue Flashcards
Is obesity a genetic or lifestyle factor?
Both, it is a multifactorial!
Is obesity an adipose tissue disease?
No, it is a disease of the brain
The hypothalamus, pituary gland and hippocampus are activated to more feeding
What is the difference between healthy and unhealthy obese people?
Metabolically healthy individuals have more subcutanous fat (5-20% of obese people)
Unhealthy obese individuals have more visceral fat (increase of waist-hip ratio)
What does excess fat accumulation during obesity leads to metabolicly speaking?
It leads to metabolic dysfunction in multiple organs: vessels, heart, liver, muscles and pancreas
What do unhealthy obese and lipodystrophic patients have in common?
They have similar phenotype as diabetics => insulin resistance
What happens when adipose tissue can’t store fat anymore?
Increase in ectopic fat
Ectopic fat is defined as storage of triglycerides in tissues other than adipose tissue, that normally contain only small amounts of fat, such as the liver, skeletal muscle, heart, and pancreas
Ectopic fat can interfere with cellular functions and hence organ function and is associated with insulin resistance
What type of transformation is important for adipose tissue to properly store lipid?
It is hyperplasia (more cell number, less pro-inflammatory cytokines, less immune cell recruitment, more insulin sensitivity, etc.)
Hypertrophy is bad: loss of quality and function of adipose tissue (increase cell size and contrary to all things from hyperplasia)
What is the technical problem when studying adipocytes and what is the solution?
The cells float, so microscopy, FACS, etc. is complicated
The solution is to study mature adipocytes in spheroid cultures
What is the effect of genetically reducing or increasing adipocyte capacity?
Increase: protects against metabolic disease
Reduce: leads to severe metabolic disease
What is the main role of the adipose tissue?
Efficient uptake and safe storage of excess nutrients
