Abstract
Apoptosis is critical for mammalian tissue homeostasis, and its disruption has been linked to a wide variety of disorders, including cancer, neurodegenerative disease, autoimmune disease and diabetes. This review will focus on recent investigations that have begun to address the potential role of apoptosis in adipose tissue growth. Evidence for apoptosis occurring in mature adipocytes has been obtained through the use of in vitro cell culture models as well as in vivo studies in rodents and humans. Preadipocytes, fibroblast-like adipocyte precursor cells, can also undergo apoptotic cell death. As they differentiate, preadipocytes acquire a relative resistance to apoptosis. The levels of the cell survival proteins Bcl-2 and neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) have been observed to increase during adipogenesis. Further research on the effect of apoptosis on adipose tissue cellularity should clarify its influence on adipose tissue mass and distribution.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sorisky, A., Magun, R. & Gagnon, A. Adipose cell apoptosis: death in the energy depot. Int J Obes 24 (Suppl 4), S3–S7 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801491
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801491
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Dynamic chromatin architecture of the porcine adipose tissues with weight gain and loss
Nature Communications (2023)
-
Structural changes in subcutaneous and visceral abdominal fatty tissue induced by local application of 448Â kHz capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency: a magnetic resonance imaging case study
Lasers in Medical Science (2022)
-
The ghrelin O-acyltransferase–ghrelin system reduces TNF-α-induced apoptosis and autophagy in human visceral adipocytes
Diabetologia (2012)
-
Phosphatidylcholine induces apoptosis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes
Journal of Biomedical Science (2011)
-
Anti-obesity activity of methanol extract from hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seeds in 3T3-L1 adipocyte
Food Science and Biotechnology (2010)