Subcutaneous fat in normal and diseased states 3. Adipogenesis: from stem cell to fat cell.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of in vitro and molecular mechanisms without primary human data
PubMed 17317490 · doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2006.06.022
What was done
This narrative review summarizes molecular and cellular pathways driving adipogenesis, drawing on evidence from in vitro experimental and primary preadipocyte cell models. It synthesizes current knowledge on the stages of adipocyte development, hormonal, nutritional, paracrine, and neuronal regulatory signals, cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, and potential clinical applications.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or effect sizes. It details that body fat mass expands via a combination of adipocyte hypertrophy, adipocyte hyperplasia (adipogenesis), and angiogenesis. Adipogenesis occurs across the lifespan and proceeds in two main steps: recruitment/proliferation of preadipocytes, followed by differentiation into mature adipocytes under strict temporal signaling regulation.
Why it matters
Elucidating the molecular checkpoints of fat cell formation establishes a mechanistic framework for potential medical, surgical, and cosmetic interventions targeting obesity and adipose tissue regulation.
Limits
The paper is a narrative review presenting no primary human experimental data or quantitative outcomes in the abstract. Evidence is largely derived from in vitro cell models, limiting direct translation to clinical endpoints without in vivo human validation.
Cited by
- contradicts When adipocytes swell and reach a maximal storage size, adipose hyperplasia occurs, increasing the total number of fat cells.