About Adipose Tissue

Adipose tissue comprises a diverse set of lipid-storing tissues distributed throughout the human body. These tissues are typically classified into three major forms: white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), and bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT). WAT makes up the majority of adipose in the human body (Abe, 2021). It is found subcutaneously under the skin, viscerally around the internal organs, and in several specialized locations (i.e. intraarticular, retroorbital) (Zwick et al., 2018). In addition to its active metabolic functions, WAT provides structural support and acts as an immune and endocrine organ, producing signaling molecules that influence both local and systemic physiology (Emont & Rosen; 2023; Grant & Dixit; 2015; Kershaw & Flier, 2004; Luong et al., 2019). BAT makes up a comparatively smaller portion of adipose tissue in the human body, having a more substantial presence in infants but persists into adulthood in small, discrete depots, particularly in the supraclavicular and paraspinal regions. Brown adipocytes are characterized by multilocular lipid droplets and high mitochondrial density, enabling lipid oxidation for non-shivering thermogenesis, making BAT an important contributor to thermal regulation (Cypess, 2022; Devlin, 2021). BMAT is another subtype of adipose, located within the marrow cavities of bone, accounting for roughly 10% of total body adipose tissue in adult humans. It is functionally and transcriptionally distinct from white and brown adipose tissues, and has been shown to support both local blood production (hematopoiesis) and bone homeostasis (Li et al., 2022; Li & Rosen, 2023).

Researchers studying adipose tissue increasingly emphasize its classification as a vital organ system (Cinti, 2001; Cypess, 2022; Emont & Rosen, 2023; Kershaw & Flier; 2004). This is evidenced not only by its dynamic physiological functions, but also by the pathological consequences of adipose deficiency: age-related adipose loss is associated with metabolic dysfunction and frailty, rapid and/or excessive adipose loss can impair endocrine and immune regulation, and congenital or acquired lipodystrophies result in severe insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and ectopic lipid deposition (Kershaw & Flier, 2004; Maung et al., 2025; Tchkonia et al., 2010). Consistent with its role as a vital organ system, adipose tissue is not diffusely distributed but instead organized into distinct and consistent depots throughout the human body, regardless of individual adiposity (Zwick et al., 2018). This organization underscores its relevance as a structured component of human anatomy. Despite this growing consensus in the scientific field, adipose tissue is still largely absent from anatomical sciences education and is minimally represented, if at all, in anatomical atlases (Cypess, 2022; Gray, 2010). 

With AdipoAtlas, we hope to address this gap in anatomical sciences and education.

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Cinti, S. (2001). The adipose organ: morphological perspectives of adipose tissues. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 60(3), 319-328.

Cypess, A. M. (2022). Reassessing human adipose tissue. New England Journal of Medicine, 386(8), 768-779.

Devlin, M. J. (2021). Brown adipose tissue, nonshivering thermogenesis, and energy availability. In Evolutionary cell processes in primates (pp. 131-160). CRC Press.

Emont, M. P., & Rosen, E. D. (2023). Exploring the heterogeneity of white adipose tissue in mouse and man. Current opinion in genetics & development, 80, 102045.

Grant, R. W., & Dixit, V. D. (2015). Adipose tissue as an immunological organ. Obesity, 23(3), 512-518.

Gray, J. (2010). Gray's anatomy. Anchor Canada.

Kershaw, E. E., & Flier, J. S. (2004). Adipose tissue as an endocrine organ. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 89(6), 2548-2556.

Li, Z., Bowers, E., Zhu, J., Yu, H., Hardij, J., Bagchi, D. P., ... & MacDougald, O. A. (2022). Lipolysis of bone marrow adipocytes is required to fuel bone and the marrow niche during energy deficits. Elife, 11, e78496.

Li, Z., & Rosen, C. J. (2023). The multifaceted roles of bone marrow adipocytes in bone and hematopoietic homeostasis. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 108(12), e1465-e1472.

Luong, Q., Huang, J., & Lee, K. Y. (2019). Deciphering white adipose tissue heterogeneity. Biology, 8(2), 23.

Maung, J.N., Schill, R.L., Nishii, A., Foss de Freitas, M., Obua, B.N., Nygård, M., Mendez-Casillas, M.D., Hermsmeyer, I.D., Gilio, D., Besci, O. and Chen, Y., 2025. Lamin A/C regulates lipid metabolism and inflammation: insights from models of familial partial lipodystrophy 2. The Journal of Clinical Investigation, pp.e198387-e198387.

Tchkonia, T., Morbeck, D. E., Von Zglinicki, T., Van Deursen, J., Lustgarten, J., Scrable, H., ... & Kirkland, J. L. (2010). Fat tissue, aging, and cellular senescence. Aging cell, 9(5), 667-684.

Zwick, R. K., Guerrero-Juarez, C. F., Horsley, V., & Plikus, M. V. (2018). Anatomical, physiological, and functional diversity of adipose tissue. Cell metabolism, 27(1), 68-83.