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Obesity pp 51–74Cite as

The Adipose Organ

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Part of the book series: Endocrinology ((ENDOCR))

Abstract

White and brown adipocytes form tissues (WAT and BAT, respectively) contained in a dissectible organ formed by subcutaneous and visceral depots. WAT and BAT have almost opposite roles in partitioning energy between two fundamental needs for survivals: metabolism and thermogenesis. All organs in mammals are composed by different tissues acting with different physiology to reach a common finalistic purpose. The plasticity of adipocytes, i.e., their reversible physiologic transdifferentiation ability, offer an explanation to their common membership to adipose organ, but imply a new physiologic ability for mature cells: the physiologic reversible transdifferentiation property. This conversion ability of mature adipocytes is supported also by the plasticity of mammary glands during pregnancy, lactation, and postlactation periods when white adipocytes convert reversibly to milk-secreting glandular cells (pink adipocytes). During chronic positive energy balance, the adipose organ undergoes a whitening phenomenon with hypertrophic adipocytes. Hypertrophic adipocytes show several alterations of their organelles including those able to activate the inflammasome system. Stressed adipocytes die leaving conspicuous debris that must be removed by macrophages. This last cell surrounds debris and form crown-like structures (CLS) responsible for a chronic low-grade inflammation that link obesity to T2 diabetes. The plasticity of adipocytes could be used to reverse the phenomenon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Ancona (Politecnica delle Marche), Ancona, Italy

    Saverio Cinti

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  1. Saverio Cinti
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Correspondence to Saverio Cinti .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systems Medicine, Internal Medicine Unit and Obesity Center, University of Rome Tor Vergata, University Hospital Policlinico Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

    Paolo Sbraccia

  2. National Centre for Cardiovascular Prevention, University College London, London, UK

    Nicholas Finer

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Cinti, S. (2019). The Adipose Organ. In: Sbraccia, P., Finer, N. (eds) Obesity. Endocrinology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46933-1_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46933-1_5

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