Adipose tissue in health and disease

Abstract

This Virtual Special Issue on Adipose tissue in health and disease features 26 original articles from different international contexts. It expands our understanding of the adipose tissue as an essential organ involved in relevant physiological functions such as reproduction, metabolism, energy balance, endocrinology, circadian rhythm, and inflammation. The focus is on the adipose tissue as a common key mediator of different severe metabolic pathologies including insulin resistance, liver diseases, cardiometabolic diseases, diabetes, lipodystrophy, Cushing's syndrome, obesity, and polycystic ovary syndrome. This adipose tissue-associated diseases are linked with a high mortality and increased health care costs worldwide. Thus, the 26 contributions of this Special Issue aim at identifying molecular mechanisms by which the adipose tissue is involved in the progression of its associated pathologies. Deeper understanding of these mechanisms in health and disease and the context-dependent parameters shaping them, is likely key to decipher the full potential of the adipose tissue for novel therapeutic approaches and strategies for managing complications associated with obesity and the metabolic syndrome.

Keywords: Adipose tissue; Cardiovascular disease; Cushing’s syndrome; Diabetes; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Lipodystrophy; Liver disease; Metabolism; Obesity; Polycystic ovary syndrome.