Chapter category: Cell Metabolism
Overview: Biological Significance of Fat and Adipose Tissues
Adipose Tissue
Edited by: Susanne KlausISBN: 1-58706-040-X
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Chapter authors:
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. This could ultimately lead to the provocative question: "Do we really need adipose tissue for normal life?" (see also the introduction to Chapter 3 of this volume). The answer to this question can be approached from different angles. From an evolutionary perspective it was very important especially for homeothermic animals (mammals and birds) to develop the ability to store relatively large amounts of energy. Homeothermic animals are able to keep their body temperature at a constant high level which enables them to be active in cold environments, i.e., very high and low latitudes, during the winter and also at night, thus giving them an advantage over endothermic animals like insects or reptiles. However, this implies a high, continuous energy expenditure for thermogenesis. As food, i.e., an exogenous energy supply is not continuously available, a significant energy reservoir is essential for survival in times of food scarcity. From a clinical point of view, loss of adipose tissue as encountered in syndromes of lipodystrophy or lipoatrophy is associated with severe metabolic complications like diabetes, hypermetabolism, and organomegaly of several organs including the liver (for review see ref. 1). Interestingly, recently developed transgenic mice with virtually no white fat displayed very similar symptoms.2 Together this implies that adipose tissue is indeed important for normal physiological functions and metabolism and is not only an energy reservoir for emergency situations.
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
Michael Boschmann
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...
