Adipose tissue is not just a reservoir of fat, but it fulfills several physiological functions. In the event of obesity, it becomes deleterious for the health, but it could well conceal the resources necessary to fight against the overweight.
Are you kidding Santa’s belly ?! However, this surplus of fat mass which hinders him in these movements (but does not harm his legend for all that…) does not deserve all this contempt. On the contrary, adipose tissue has become the focus of attention for many researchers, biologists and doctors over the past ten years or so. “It is not an amorphous, not very noble tissue, solely dedicated to the storage of fat, testifies Professor Karine Clément, responsible for Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN) at the Pitié Salpétrière in Paris. “It is considered today as a real organ which, by producing a certain number of molecules dialogues with the brain, the liver, the muscle, the heart …”
Listen to Prof. Karine Clément, ICAN coordinator, ” It’s still a kind of revolution, we went from an amorphous tissue to a real organ like an endocrine gland … “
Adipocytes are the specific cells of adipose tissue. These cells store and release fatty acids, mainly under the control of the pancreas (which produces insulin). But, the adipocyte is also considered to be the producer of many molecules such as leptin which “dialogues” with the brain to control food intake …
Or adiponectin, which has effects on insulin sensitivity… But this biochemical mechanism, even more precise than a Swiss clock system, can be disturbed by too much fat storage. Thus, an enlarged adipocyte will produce less adiponectin, that is to say it will be less sensitive to insulin, and therefore less likely to release fatty acids …
But that’s not all, in a situation of obesity, adipocytes are almost considered by researchers as cells losing control. Quite recently an ICAN team showed thata protein complex responsible for controlling the production of inflammatory molecules could no longer come into action when the adipocyte is enlarged. The adipocytes then start to produce them in unreasonable quantities. Molecules that will also attract macrophages, these cells of the immune system, which themselves produce “pro-inflammatory” molecules …
Listen to Prof. Karine Clément. “ It’s really a whole cocktail of molecules that is made by fatty tissue “
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This cocktail of inflammatory molecules then disrupts the surrounding tissues. It is for this reason that deep abdominal fat is considered a major risk factor: diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, but also certain breast and colon cancers, etc.
A better understanding of adipose tissue and the biochemical processes triggered by obesity makes it possible to seek new therapeutic avenues. For example, by allowing the adipocyte to regain control of the production of inflammatory molecules.
But there are also other avenues of research. “We are very interested in the precursor cells of adipocytes which are still present in adipose tissue,” explains Karine Clément. These cells can transform either into a white adipocyte, that is to say a storage cell, or into a brown adipocyte, a much smaller cell that has the capacity to burn, to consume fat to produce heat ”. These cells are used in animals for the mechanisms of hibernation … In the same way in humans, they are active in babies to maintain heat. And in 2009, teams showed that adults still have brown adipocytes …
Listen to Prof. Karine Clément. ” It was thought that brown adipocytes were no longer active in humans, but the researchers reconsidered this hypothesis. “
Thus, adipose tissue is far from being a vulgar reservoir of fat. It plays many physiological roles, and paradoxically it could well conceal the resources necessary for the fight against obesity.
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