Review Series 10.1172/JCI129187

Altered adipose tissue and adipocyte function in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome

C. Ronald Kahn,1 Guoxiao Wang,1 and Kevin Y. Lee2,3

1Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and

3The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.

Address correspondence to: C. Ronald Kahn, Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. Phone: 617.309.2635; Email: c.ronald.kahn@joslin.harvard.edu.

Find articles by Kahn, C. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar |

1Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and

3The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.

Address correspondence to: C. Ronald Kahn, Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. Phone: 617.309.2635; Email: c.ronald.kahn@joslin.harvard.edu.

Find articles by Wang, G. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar

1Section on Integrative Physiology and Metabolism, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and

3The Diabetes Institute, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, USA.

Address correspondence to: C. Ronald Kahn, Joslin Diabetes Center, One Joslin Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA. Phone: 617.309.2635; Email: c.ronald.kahn@joslin.harvard.edu.

Find articles by Lee, K. in: JCI | PubMed | Google Scholar |

First published October 1, 2019 - More info

Published in Volume 129, Issue 10 on October 1, 2019
J Clin Invest. 2019;129(10):3990–4000. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI129187.
© 2019 American Society for Clinical Investigation
First published October 1, 2019 - Version history

Over the past decade, great progress has been made in understanding the complexity of adipose tissue biology and its role in metabolism. This includes new insights into the multiple layers of adipose tissue heterogeneity, not only differences between white and brown adipocytes, but also differences in white adipose tissue at the depot level and even heterogeneity of white adipocytes within a single depot. These inter- and intra-depot differences in adipocytes are developmentally programmed and contribute to the wide range of effects observed in disorders with fat excess (overweight/obesity) or fat loss (lipodystrophy). Recent studies also highlight the underappreciated dynamic nature of adipose tissue, including potential to undergo rapid turnover and dedifferentiation and as a source of stem cells. Finally, we explore the rapidly expanding field of adipose tissue as an endocrine organ, and how adipose tissue communicates with other tissues to regulate systemic metabolism both centrally and peripherally through secretion of adipocyte-derived peptide hormones, inflammatory mediators, signaling lipids, and miRNAs packaged in exosomes. Together these attributes and complexities create a robust, multidimensional signaling network that is central to metabolic homeostasis.

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