---
title: "Adipose Tissue"
url: "https://worldwiki.io/entity/adipose-tissue"
type: "medical"
language: "en"
updated: "2026-11-12 05:20:00"
independence_score: "100.00"
independent_mentions: "0"
authority_mentions: "0"
---

# Adipose Tissue

Adipose tissue is body fat: a connective tissue made mostly of fat cells (adipocytes) together with blood vessels, immune cells and stromal cells.

## Key facts

- **Definition**: A metabolic and endocrine tissue made of mature adipocytes, which store energy as triacylglycerols in a large central lipid droplet, plus a stromal vascular fraction [3]
- **Types of adipose tissue**: White (energy storage), brown (non-shivering thermogenesis), beige (mixed brown/white traits); pink adipocytes are described in the mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation [3]
- **Main depots**: Subcutaneous and visceral (e.g., mesenteric, retroperitoneal, gonadal in rodents) [3]
- **Key secreted hormones (adipokines)**: Leptin, adiponectin, resistin; circulating adiponectin is about 2–20 µg/mL [3]
- **Leptin (ob gene) cloned**: 1994, reported in Nature by Zhang, Proenca, Maffei et al. in Jeffrey Friedman's laboratory [4]
- **Brown fat heat production**: Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) uncouples mitochondrial respiration from ATP synthesis and releases the energy as heat [5]
- **Active brown fat shown in adult humans**: 2009, by FDG-PET/CT imaging [5]
- **Stromal vascular fraction composition**: Mixed population of preadipocytes, fibroblasts, pericytes, macrophages, blood cells, endothelial progenitor cells and mesenchymal stromal cells [6]
- **Main cell type**: Adipocytes (fat cells) plus vascular, immune and stromal cells [1]
- **US regulatory status of enzymatic SVF**: SVF isolated by collagenase digestion falls outside FDA 'minimal manipulation' criteria and generally requires controlled clinical trials and regulatory review [6]
- **Harvest method for cell isolation**: Liposuction [2]
- **Governing FDA guidance**: 'Regulatory Considerations for HCT/Ps: Minimal Manipulation and Homologous Use' (21 CFR 1271.10(a)); July 2020 version, superseding the Nov/Dec 2017 guidance [7]
- **Korean regulatory status**: Culture-expanded stem cell products are drugs under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act. Uncultured autologous cells that are only separated, washed, frozen or thawed are not considered unlawful. The Advanced Regenerative Bio Act took effect in August 2020 [8]

## Overview

Adipose tissue (body fat) is a connective tissue made of lipid-filled adipocytes and a stromal vascular fraction that contains preadipocytes, endothelial, stromal and immune cells. White fat stores energy as triacylglycerol in subcutaneous and visceral depots. Brown fat produces heat through uncoupling protein 1, and beige adipocytes share traits of both. Adipose tissue is also an endocrine organ that secretes adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin, and its dysfunction is linked to obesity-related metabolic disease. Lipoaspirate is used for autologous fat grafting and as a source of cells. In the US, SVF isolated by enzymatic digestion is generally treated as more than minimally manipulated and is subject to FDA review. In Korea, stem cells expanded by culture are regulated as drugs. Readers should check the approval status of any adipose-derived cell therapy.

## Related entities

- related to → [Adipose-derived Stem Cell](https://worldwiki.io/entity/adipose-derived-stem-cell)
- has part → [Stromal Vascular Fraction](https://worldwiki.io/entity/stromal-vascular-fraction)
- has part → [Adipose-derived Stem Cell](https://worldwiki.io/entity/adipose-derived-stem-cell)
- related to → [Liposuction](https://worldwiki.io/entity/liposuction)

## Related questions

- [What is adipose tissue?](https://worldwiki.io/q/what-is-adipose-tissue) — Adipose tissue is body fat: a connective tissue made mostly of fat cells (adipocytes) with blood vessels, immune cells and stromal cells. It stores energy and produces hormones. Because it is abundant
- [What is the difference between white fat and brown fat?](https://worldwiki.io/q/what-is-the-difference-between-white-fat-and-brown-fat) — White fat cells hold one large lipid droplet, which fills about 90% of the cell, and mainly store energy as triglycerides. Brown fat cells hold many small droplets and many mitochondria. They use unco
- [Why is visceral fat more dangerous than subcutaneous fat?](https://worldwiki.io/q/why-is-visceral-fat-more-dangerous-than-subcutaneous-fat) — Visceral fat lies deep in the abdomen and wraps around internal organs. Excess visceral fat is linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis more closely than
- [Do fat cells disappear when you lose weight?](https://worldwiki.io/q/do-fat-cells-disappear-when-you-lose-weight) — Mostly not. A 2008 Nature study that dated fat cells with carbon-14 found that the number of fat cells stays roughly stable in adulthood, with no significant rise between ages 20 and 70. Weight change
- [Why is fat tissue used as a source of stem cells?](https://worldwiki.io/q/why-is-fat-tissue-used-as-a-source-of-stem-cells) — Fat is plentiful and easy to collect by liposuction. A single procedure can produce from 100 ml to more than 3 litres of lipoaspirate. Breaking down this tissue releases the stromal vascular fraction 

## References

Independent 8/8

1. [Safety profile of autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in clinical use: an exhaustive literature review](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41618435/) — Stem Cell Research & Therapy (2026) · evidence level B · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/20
2. [Liposuction](https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction) — American Society of Plastic Surgeons · evidence level C · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/17
3. [Adipose Tissue: Physiology to Metabolic Dysfunction (Endotext)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555602/) — NCBI Bookshelf / MDText.com (Richard AJ, White U, Elks CM, Stephens JM) · evidence level B · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/240
4. [Leptin 30 years – A chat with Jeffrey M. Friedman](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11967189/) — Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism, via PubMed Central · evidence level B · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/121
5. [Brown adipose tissue activity as a target for the treatment of obesity/insulin resistance](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4311629/) — Frontiers in Physiology (Poher et al., via PubMed Central) · evidence level B · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/241
6. [Intraoperative Strategies for Minimal Manipulation of Autologous Adipose Tissue for Cell- and Tissue-Based Therapies: Concise Review (Trivisonno A et al.)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6877766/) — Stem Cells Translational Medicine / PubMed Central · evidence level B · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/133
7. [Regulatory Considerations for Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products: Minimal Manipulation and Homologous Use](https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/regulatory-considerations-human-cells-tissues-and-cellular-and-tissue-based-products-minimal) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration · evidence level A · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/242
8. [불가능했던 줄기세포 배양시술 첨바법으로 열리나? (Will the Advanced Regenerative Bio Act open the way for cultured stem cell procedures?)](https://www.medicaltimes.com/Users/News/NewsView.html?ID=1134320) — Medical Times (column by attorney Oh Seung-jun, LK Partners) · evidence level D · independent · evidence page: https://worldwiki.io/source/243