White fat progenitor cells reside in the adipose vasculature

Wei Tang, Daniel Zeve, Jae Myoung Suh, Darko Bosnakovski, Michael Kyba, Robert E Hammer, Michelle D. Tallquist, Jonathan M Graff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

889 Scopus citations

Abstract

White adipose (fat) tissues regulate metabolism, reproduction, and life span. Adipocytes form throughout life, with the most marked expansion of the lineage occurring during the postnatal period. Adipocytes develop in coordination with the vasculature, but the identity and location of white adipocyte progenitor cells in vivo are unknown. We used genetically marked mice to isolate proliferating and renewing adipogenic progenitors. We found that most adipocytes descend from a pool of these proliferating progenitors that are already committed, either prenatally or early in postnatal life. These progenitors reside in the mural cell compartment of the adipose vasculature, but not in the vasculature of other tissues. Thus, the adipose vasculature appears to function as a progenitor niche and may provide signals for adipocyte development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)583-586
Number of pages4
JournalScience
Volume322
Issue number5901
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 24 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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