title: Autophagy in adipose tissue biology.
abstract: Obesity, which predisposes individuals to type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, results from accumulation of white adipose tissue (WAT). WAT comprises mainly white adipocytes that have a unique cellular structure in which almost the entire intracellular space is occupied by one single lipid droplet. The cytoplasm envelopes this lipid droplet and occupies negligible space. Differentiation of WAT, or adipogenesis, requires dramatic cytoplasmic reorganization, including a dynamic change in mitochondrial mass. Autophagy is a major cytoplasmic degradation pathway and a primary pathway for mitochondrial degradation. Recent studies indicate that autophagy is implicated in adipogenesis. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge on autophagy in adipose tissue biology, with the emphasis on its role in mitochondrial degradation. Adipose tissue is a central component for whole-body energy homeostasis regulation. Advancement in this research area may provide novel venues for the intervention of obesity and obesity related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiangang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Shengkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
mesh_terms: D050156:Adipogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism; D002001:Adipose Tissue, Brown / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D052436:Adipose Tissue, White / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D001343:Autophagy / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D008066:Lipolysis / Q000502:physiology; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines