Adipose tissue anatomy

Abstract

The authors describe a BAT as a thermogenic tissue that produces heat by oxidizing fatty acids in specialized, uncoupled mitochondria, thereby contributing to nonshivering thermogenesis, and the WAT as a white adipose tissue. There are discussions concerning a single WAT or several WATs, the subcutaneous adipose tissue, the classification of the subcutaneous adipose tissue, the deposit WAT (or type 1 WAT), the structural WAT (or type 2 WAT), the fibrous WAT (or type 3 WAT), the importance of the stroma and the polymorphism of the subcutaneous WAT. The optimization of harvesting procedures in the treatments is based on autologous WAT and requires consideration about the existence of different varieties of WAT. In this tissue, noteworthy differences are present in the connective and microvascular compartments. Morphologic data seem to suggest that the best results in harvesting procedures and in subsequent implant can probably be obtained by the use of type 2 WAT.