Abstract
Due to the importance of fat tissues in both energy balance and in the associated disorders arising when such balance is not maintained, adipocyte differentiation has been extensively investigated in order to control and inhibit the enlargement of white adipose tissue. The ability of a cell to undergo adipocyte differentiation is one particular feature of all mesenchymal cells. Up until now, the peroxysome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) subtypes appear to be the keys and essential players capable of inducing and controlling adipocyte differentiation. In addition, it is now accepted that adipose cells present a broad plasticity that allows them to differentiate towards various mesodermal phenotypes. The role of PPARs in such plasticity is reviewed here, although no definite conclusion can yet be drawn. Many questions thus remain open concerning the definition of preadipocytes and the relative importance of PPARs in comparison to other master factors involved in the other mesodermal phenotypes.
Highlights
Adipose tissues have long been associated with the invasive prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders
Many questions remain open concerning the definition of preadipocytes and the relative importance of peroxysome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in comparison to other master factors involved in the other mesodermal phenotypes
When Wnt signalling in preadipocytes is prevented by the overexpression of Axin or dominantnegative T-Cell Factor-4 (TCF4), these cells differentiate into adipocytes
Summary
Adipose tissues have long been associated with the invasive prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders. Two rather distinct medical and scientific domains share these perspectives but irrespective of field, a good understanding of adipogenesis is absolutely requisite to manipulating and controlling adipocyte differentiation. This point is emphasized by the fact that adipocyte differentiation belongs to the mesenchymal stroma or stem cell hallmark. We should consider that any of these cells can acquire the adipocyte phenotype depending on its environment. In this view, peroxysome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) family of transcription factors appears to be a key and unavoidable actor. After a brief overview on adipose tissues, this review will focus on the importance of PPARs and PPARγ in particular in adipose-derived cell phenotype and plasticity
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