The adipocyte plays a critical role in energy balance. Adipose tissue growth involves an increase in adipocyte size and the formation of new adipocytes from precursor cells. For the last 20 years, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of adipocyte differentiation have been extensively studied using preadipocyte culture systems. Committed preadipocytes undergo growth arrest and subsequent termin...

OBJECTIVE We hypothesized that, compared with obese subjects, patients with type 2 diabetes have a lower total adipocyte number with fewer small adipocytes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained from lean and obese subjects with or without type 2 diabetes matched for BMI. Adipocyte size was measured by osmium fixation and sizing/counting in a Coulter c...

Adipocyte differentiation is driven by the expression and activation of three transcription factor families: the differentially expressed CAAT/enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs) a, b, and d; the helix-loop-helix adipocyte differentiation and determination factor-1; and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor g (PPARg), expressed as two isoforms, PPARg1 and the adipocyte-specific PPARg2. Over...

 Objective: In obesity, chronic low grade inflammation, created by induction of pro-inflammatory markers, causes adipocyte dysfunction in adipose tissue. Adipocytes dysfunction is associated with various diseases including insulin resistance and obesity. In obesity, inflammatory factors such as osteopontin (OPN), angiopoietin-like protein 2 (Angptl2) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) are...

OBJECTIVE Several studies have reported the existence of a subgroup of obese individuals with normal metabolic profiles. It remains unclear what factors are responsible for this phenomenon. We proposed that adipocyte size might be a key factor in the protection of metabolically healthy obese (MHO) individuals from the adverse effects of obesity. SUBJECTS Thirty-five patients undergoing bariat...

BACKGROUND Both body fat distribution and adipocyte size are associated with metabolic abnormalities. OBJECTIVE We defined the extent to which subcutaneous adipocyte size is related to regional fat mass and to the sizes of adipocytes in other subcutaneous depots independent of adiposity, age, and sex. DESIGN Data collected from 188 women and 133 men who were 18-50 y old and who had a body m...

We examined the effect of microRNAs on 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation and expression of adipocyte-specific gene fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4). We screened and identified adipo-related microRNAs during 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation with a microRNA microarray. High expression plasmids of miR-24 and miR-21 were constructed and transfected into 3T3-L1 preadipocytes by lipofectamine. The...

OBJECTIVE To understand the regulation of adipocyte size and adipokine expression in relation to gender, anatomic location, adiposity, and metabolic risk factors in adolescents with morbid obesity. METHODS Adipocyte size and adipokine expression in paired abdominal subcutaneous (SAT) and omental (VAT) surgical adipose tissues were related to gender, anatomic location, adiposity, and metabolic...