Adipocyte

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Adipocytes are the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue, specialized in storing energy as fat.

[edit] Description

There are two types of adipose tissue: white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), that are also known as white fat and brown fat respectively. Consequently, these two tissues are made up of two types of adipocytes.

White adipocytes contain a large lipid droplet surrounded by a ring of cytoplasm. The nucleus is flattened and located on the periphery. The fat stored is in a semi-liquid state, and is composed primarily of triglycerides and cholesterol ester. White adipocytes secrete resistin, adiponectin and leptin.

Brown adipocytes are polygonal in shape. Unlike white adipocytes, these cells have considerable cytoplasm with lipid droplets scattered throughout. The nucleus is round, and, although eccentrically located, it is not in the periphery of the cell. The brown color comes from the large quantity of mitochondria. Brown fat is also known as “baby fat,” and is used to generate heat.

[edit] Lineage

Although the lineage of adipocytes is still unclear, Preadipocytes are undifferentiated fibroblasts that can be stimulated to form adipocytes.

mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into adipocytes, connective tissue, muscle or bone.

Areolar connective tissue is composed of adipocytes.

[edit] External links

Histology at BU 08201loa - "Connective Tissue: unilocular (white) adipocytes "
Histology at BU 04901lob - "Connective Tissue: multilocular (brown) adipocytes"