Lower total adipocyte number but no evidence for small adipocyte depletion in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract

OBJECTIVE - We hypothesized that, compared with obese subjects, patients with type 2 diabetes have a lower total adipocyte number with fewer small adipocytes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained from lean and obese subjects with or without type 2 diabetes matched for BMI. Adipocyte size was measured by osmium fixation and sizing/counting in a Coulter counter. Adipocyte size and number subdistributions (small, medium, large, and very large) were determined. RESULTS - Compared with obese subjects, type 2 diabetic patients had larger mean adipocyte size and 67% bigger very large adipocytes; the total adipocyte number was lower, but the fraction of small adipocytes was increased by 27%. CONCLUSIONS - Total adipocyte cellularity is lower in type 2 diabetic subjects than in obese subjects. We found no evidence for depletion of small adipocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes. This suggests the presence of a defect in early maturation of adipocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes. © 2009 by the American Diabetes Association.