The Role of Adipocytes in Tissue Regeneration and Stem Cell Niches

The document from 2016 reviews the multifaceted roles of adipocytes in tissue regeneration and stem cell niches, extending beyond their traditional functions in energy storage and metabolic regulation. It emphasizes the importance of adipocytes in maintaining homeostasis and supporting regeneration across various tissues such as skin, mammary glands, and skeletal muscle. The review details how adipocytes and adipocyte precursor cells (APs) interact with hair follicles to influence their growth cycles, contribute to wound healing through increased angiogenesis, and play roles in thermoregulation, mammary gland development, and skeletal muscle repair. It also discusses the interaction between adipocytes and immune cells, highlighting the significance of this relationship in tissue regeneration and stem cell biology. The document underscores the potential of adipocyte lineage cells in regenerative medicine and calls for further research to fully understand their functions and interactions in different tissues. Additionally, it explores the bidirectional communication between adipocytes and cancer cells, the impact of obesity and diabetes on adipokine secretion and inflammation, and the implications for cutaneous diseases and wound healing. The conclusion recognizes white adipose tissue as a critical player in tissue physiology and a potential target for translational biology, advocating for more research using new mouse models to elucidate its role in various human diseases.