title: Human adipose dynamics and metabolic health.
abstract: The two types of adipose tissue in humans, white and brown, have distinct developmental origins and functions. Human white adipose tissue plays a pivotal role in maintaining whole-body energy homeostasis by storing triglycerides when energy is in surplus, releasing free fatty acids as a fuel during energy shortage, and secreting adipokines that are important for regulating lipid and glucose metabolism. The size of white adipose mass needs to be kept at a proper set point. Dramatic expansion of white fat mass causes obesity--now become a global epidemic disease--and increases the risk for the development of many life-threatening diseases. The absence of white adipose tissue or abnormal white adipose tissue redistribution leads to lipodystrophy, a condition often associated with metabolic disorders. Brown adipose tissue is a thermogenic organ whose mass is inversely correlated with body mass index and age. Therapeutic approaches targeting adipose tissue have been proven to be effective in improving obesity-related metabolic disorders, and promising new therapies could be developed in the near future.
authors: Hallett Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA.
authors: Bin
authors: B
authors: Feng
authors: Tracy
authors: T
authors: Zhang
authors: Haiyan
authors: H
authors: Xu
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*