title: Adipocyte size and liability to cell death.
abstract: Obesity constitutes a serious health problem. Inflammation, which has recently been shown to follow adipocyte death, is at the basis of a series of pathogenic complications of obesity. Here we demonstrate, through modelling using the finite element method, that the bigger the adipocyte, the more fragile it becomes to rupture when submitted to common physical forces. This indicates that adipocyte size is an important determinant of cell death. Interventions to prevent adipocyte hypertrophy may, therefore, help to reduce the risk associated with obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry (U38/FCT), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Rosário
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: Paulo M S T
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: de Castro
authors.forename: Conceição
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calhau
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Azevedo
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000473:pathology; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D016923:Cell Death; D048429:Cell Size; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D012421:Rupture; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D014750:Vincristine
chemical_list: D014750:Vincristine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide