Microenvironmental Control of Adipocyte Fate and Function.
The properties of tissue-specific microenvironments vary widely in the human body and demonstrably influence the structure and function of many cell types. Adipocytes are no exception, responding to cues in specialized niches to perform vital metabolic and endocrine functions. The adipose microenvironment is remodeled during tissue expansion to maintain the structural and functional integrity of the tissue and disrupted remodeling in obesity contributes to the progression of metabolic syndrome, breast cancer, and other malignancies. The increasing incidence of these obesity-related diseases and the recent focus on improved in vitro models of human tissue biology underscore growing interest in the regulatory role of adipocyte microenvironments in health and disease.
Disease Biophysics Group, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Benjamin D
BD
Pope
Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Curtis R
CR
Warren
Disease Biophysics Group, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Mathematical Sciences, United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, USA.
Kevin Kit
KK
Parker
Harvard Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: chad_cowan@harvard.edu.
Chad A
CA
Cowan
D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D021982:Cell-Matrix Junctions / Q000378:metabolism; D060833:Cellular Microenvironment; D004194:Disease; D006801:Humans; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular
adipose development; biomechanics; extracellular matrix; metabolic disease; signal transduction; tissue engineering.