Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance
Adipose tissue is a dynamic and heterogeneous organ with distinct depots that play divergent roles in metabolic regulation. This review highlights the functional differences between brown, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue, and their contributions to obesity-related insulin resistance. We ex...
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MDPI AG
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
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| author | Maria-Zinaida Dobre Bogdana Virgolici Olivia Timnea |
| author_facet | Maria-Zinaida Dobre Bogdana Virgolici Olivia Timnea |
| author_sort | Maria-Zinaida Dobre |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Adipose tissue is a dynamic and heterogeneous organ with distinct depots that play divergent roles in metabolic regulation. This review highlights the functional differences between brown, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue, and their contributions to obesity-related insulin resistance. We explore how chronic low-grade inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and fibrosis evolve within specific fat depots and how these changes disrupt systemic energy homeostasis. Visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT) emerges as a critical site of inflammation and metabolic inflexibility, while subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) may retain protective features in early obesity. The endocrine roles of adipokines and batokines are also discussed, emphasizing depot-specific signaling and systemic effects. Furthermore, we examine emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating immune responses, enhancing mitochondrial function, and reprogramming adipose progenitor cells (APCs) to restore healthy tissue remodeling. A deeper understanding of adipose-depot-specific biology and progenitor cell dynamics offers promising avenues for personalized interventions in metabolic diseases. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-869b8735bc8d42bd8704cc64d4a540e9 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1467-3037 1467-3045 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-869b8735bc8d42bd8704cc64d4a540e92025-08-20T01:56:25ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452025-05-0147534310.3390/cimb47050343Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin ResistanceMaria-Zinaida Dobre0Bogdana Virgolici1Olivia Timnea2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaDepartment of physiology, Faculty of Sports and Kinetotherapy, Romano-Americana University, 012101 Bucharest, RomaniaAdipose tissue is a dynamic and heterogeneous organ with distinct depots that play divergent roles in metabolic regulation. This review highlights the functional differences between brown, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue, and their contributions to obesity-related insulin resistance. We explore how chronic low-grade inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and fibrosis evolve within specific fat depots and how these changes disrupt systemic energy homeostasis. Visceral white adipose tissue (vWAT) emerges as a critical site of inflammation and metabolic inflexibility, while subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) may retain protective features in early obesity. The endocrine roles of adipokines and batokines are also discussed, emphasizing depot-specific signaling and systemic effects. Furthermore, we examine emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating immune responses, enhancing mitochondrial function, and reprogramming adipose progenitor cells (APCs) to restore healthy tissue remodeling. A deeper understanding of adipose-depot-specific biology and progenitor cell dynamics offers promising avenues for personalized interventions in metabolic diseases.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/5/343adipose tissueinsulin resistanceobesityvisceral fatsubcutaneous fatbrown adipose tissue |
| spellingShingle | Maria-Zinaida Dobre Bogdana Virgolici Olivia Timnea Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance Current Issues in Molecular Biology adipose tissue insulin resistance obesity visceral fat subcutaneous fat brown adipose tissue |
| title | Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance |
| title_full | Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance |
| title_fullStr | Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance |
| title_full_unstemmed | Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance |
| title_short | Key Roles of Brown, Subcutaneous, and Visceral Adipose Tissues in Obesity and Insulin Resistance |
| title_sort | key roles of brown subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissues in obesity and insulin resistance |
| topic | adipose tissue insulin resistance obesity visceral fat subcutaneous fat brown adipose tissue |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/47/5/343 |
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