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8 important features and functions of fat cells in your body

Don’t freak out if you are gaining a little fat in your body. Fat cells actually are critical for many normal functions of the body. Here are some important useful effects of adipocytes (fat cells) in our body.

shameer
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On Nov 14, 2016
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It plays a critical role in energy homeostasis in the body. A rise in glucose, lipids, and insulin after a meal stimulates triglyceride formation that can be stored in fat cells. Conversely, during fasting increased lipolysis occurs through the activation of sympathetic nervous system, epinephrine and glucocorticoids. Fatty acid released from adipose tissue during fasting undergoes partial oxidation to generate ketone bodies that serve as an alternative fuel for brain and peripheral organs. These effects are really important for your survival.

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Adipocytes controls the bioactivity of sex steroids in the body (Boulton et al., 1992). Aromatase, an enzyme produced by these adipocytes helps androgen to estrogen conversion. This conversion to estrogen in males is important in the gonadotropin feedback (Luteinizing hormone and Follicle stimulating hormone functioning), bone maturation, regulation of bone resorption and lipid metabolism.

Boulton, K., Hudson, D., Coppack, S., & Frayn, K. (1992). Steroid hormone interconversions in human adipose tissue in vivo. Metabolism, 41(5), 556-559.

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Leptin, a protein secreted by adipocytes is important in appetite regulation, as they inhibit appetite by suppressing orexigenic peptides, NPY (Neuropeptide Y) and AGRP (Agouti related peptide) in hypothalamus/brain stem (Lin, Storlien, & Huang, 2000). It also helps enhance fatty acid oxidation, stimulate thermogenesis (heat production in the body), decrease glucose in the blood, and eventually reduced body weight.

Lin, S., Storlien, L. H., & Huang, X. F. (2000). Leptin receptor, NPY, POMC mRNA expression in the diet-induced obese mouse brain. Brain research, 875(1), 89-95.

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Adiponectin, another protein which is exclusively secreted by adipocytes has been linked to glucose, lipid and cardiovascular regulation. Low levels of adiponectin can lead to obesity, diabetes and atherosclerosis; this is strange about fat cells, but it’s a fact. Adiponectin also has antioxidant and protective effect on vascular endothelium against excessive vasodilation thereby improving systemic blood flow (Lam & Xu, 2005).

Lam, K. & Xu, A. (2005). Adiponectin: Protection of the endothelium. Current Diabetes Reports, 5(4), 254-259.

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After 20 years of age, an adult human will have a fixed number of fat cells throughout his/her life; it doesn’t matter whether you gain or lose weight. Gaining weight equates to extra fat being stored in these fat cells, but as we lose weight the cells shrink. Liposuction!!! We don’t know if a liposuction stimulates more fat cell growth.

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More than half of our brain and nervous tissue are composed of fat and fatty acids. This fat is obtained through our food; imbalanced fat intake can lead to impaired brain performance (Farquharson, 1992).

Farquharson, J. (1992). Infant cerebral cortex phospholipid fatty-acid composition and diet. The Lancet, 340(8823), 810-813.

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Fat is an excellent source of energy. Fat molecule is worth 9 calories of energy per gram in the body compared to 4 calories, for protein and carbohydrate (USDA, 2016).

https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/how-many-calories-are-one-gram-fat-carbohydrate-or-protein

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