Adipose Tissue

Question 1

What is adipose tissue?

Answer 1

Metabolically active organ - regulates whole body energy homeostasis.

Adipose tissue = lipids, steroids, inflammatory cytokines, hormones - leptin.

Changes in quantity and distribution with age - never loose fat cells, just contents. Increase in number and size = obesity.

Question 2

How is adipose tissue categorised?

Answer 2

White adipose (WAT): LT energy storage, visceral = intra abdominal or sub-cutaneous.
Brown adipose (BAT): babies
Beige-white: similar to BAT

Question 3

What is hypertrophy and hyperplasia?

Answer 3

Hypertrophy = increased size, associated with dyslipidaemia, IR, T2D, CVD.
Low insulin sensitivity, adiponectin
High inflammatory cytokines, immune cell recruitment, hypoxia and fibrosis.

Hyperplasia = increased number

Consider fasting to reduce size - ketosis, but 16:8 over 800kcal/day to reduce cortisol load.