Chapter category: Cell Metabolism
Morphology of the Adipose Organ
Adipose Tissue
Edited by: Susanne KlausISBN: 1-58706-040-X
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Chapter authors:
Saverio Cinti
The adipose organ (Fig. 1) of mammals is composed of two different tissues: white and brown adipose tissues.13 In mammals these tissues are organized in distinct depots or are diffuse around or within other organs.
The depots are subcutaneous (anterior and posterior in rats and mice) or visceral (mediastinal, mesenteric, omental, perirenal, perigonadal and retroperitoneal).
Adipocytes also "infiltrate" many organs: skin, synovia, parathyroid, parotid, lymph nodes, bone marrow, pancreas, thymus.
All the subcutaneous and visceral depots contain both tissues (white and brown) and the relative amount of the two types of adipose tissue depends on age, strain and environmental conditions to which the animal is exposed.
Most adipocytes "infiltrating" other organs (see above) show the morphology of white adipocytes.
Additional chapters from this book:
Adipose Tissue Pathology in Human Obesity
Hans Hauner, Thomas Skurk
Human obesity is characterized by an excess of adipose tissue mass that has potential adverse health consequences and may finally result in a reduced quality of life and life expectancy.
White Adipose Tissue as a Secretory and Endocrine Organ:Leptin and Other Secreted Proteins
Paul Trayhurn, Nigel Hoggard, D. Vernon Rayner
We are currently undergoing a revolution in our perspectives on the physiological role of white adipose tissue (WAT). Traditionally, white fat has been viewed primarily as a longterm energy...
Heterogeneity of Adipose Tissue Metabolism
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Adipose tissue is a highly specialized organ dealing mainly with processes for storage and release of energy. The underlying metabolic routes of these processes are regulated by a complex netw...
Central Nervous System Innervation of White Adipose Tissue
Timothy J. Bartness, Gregory E. Demas, C. Kay Song
The incessant demand for energy by tissues, especially the central nervous system (CNS), is a challenge that must be met for normal physiological functioning and behavior to occur. This is an ...
Central Nervous System Innervation of Brown Adipose Tissue
Timothy J. Bartness, C. Kay Song, Gregory E. Demas
Environmental factors such as ambient temperature and food availability can affect the survival and reproductive success of animals. This is especially important for small rodents with their i...
Brown Adipocyte Differentiation and Function in Energy Metabolism
Susanne Klaus
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized thermogenic adipose tissue with greatimportance for thermoregulation and cold defense of small mammals. As outlined in the previous chapter, the ...
Brown Adipose Tissue: Thermogenic Function and Its Physiological
Susanne Klaus
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized form of adipose tissue whose function is opposite to classical white fat function. As a thermogenic tissue it is a site of energy dis...
Development of White Adipose Tissue and Adipocyte Differentiation
Gérard Ailhaud
In humans, the development of white adipose tissue (WAT) occurs to a large extent postnatally and continues throughout life, in contrast to the development of brown adipose tissue (BAT) which ...
Morphology of the Adipose Organ
Saverio Cinti
The white adipose tissue is composed of spherical cells with a diameter ranging from 15 to 150 µm (Fig. 2) in aldehyde-fixed and paraffin or resin embedded specimens.
This enormou...
Overview: Biological Significance of Fat and Adipose Tissues
Susanne Klaus
From a human point of view fat or adipose tissue is nowadays often considered assuperfluous and undesired, especially considering the current "emaciated" beauty ideal of the Western world. Thi...
Development of White Adipose Tissue and Adipocyte Differentiation
Gérard Ailhaud
In humans, the development of white adipose tissue (WAT) occurs to a large extent postnatally and continues throughout life, in contrast to the development of brown adipose tissue (BAT) which ...
Morphology of the Adipose Organ
Saverio Cinti
The adipose organ (Fig. 1) of mammals is composed of two different tissues: white and brown adipose tissues.13 In mammals these tissues are organized in disti...
Overview: Biological Significance of Fat and Adipose Tissues
Susanne Klaus
From a human point of view fat or adipose tissue is nowadays often considered assuperfluous and undesired, especially considering the current "emaciated" beauty ideal of the Western world. Thi...
