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ADIPOSE TISSUE BIOLOGY

Insulin and the last gasp of failing adipocytes

Nature Metabolism volume 3, pages 1443–1444 (2021)Cite this article

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A recent study shows how hyperinsulinaemia in obesity unexpectedly activates the cell cycle of overworked mature adipocytes in a process known as endo-reduplication, which represents a ‘last gasp’ strategy to remain functionally competent. However, this strategy fails and triggers premature senescence and tissue dysfunction.

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Fig. 1: Hypertrophied adipocytes are associated with a pro-inflammatory metabolic phenotype.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

    Sergio Rodriguez-Cuenca & Antonio Vidal-Puig

  2. Cambridge University Nanjing Centre of Technology and Innovation, Nanjing, China

    Sergio Rodriguez-Cuenca & Antonio Vidal-Puig

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  1. Sergio Rodriguez-Cuenca
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  2. Antonio Vidal-Puig
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Correspondence to Antonio Vidal-Puig.

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Rodriguez-Cuenca, S., Vidal-Puig, A. Insulin and the last gasp of failing adipocytes. Nat Metab 3, 1443–1444 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-021-00492-7

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