Cell and tissue culture models of adipocyte development

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the precursor cells and various tissue culture models on the development of adipocyte cells. From the cell culture studies about the nature of adipocyte precursors, it is shown that precursor cells have been isolated from various tissue sources to proliferate and differentiate into fat cells in culture in vitro . It is challenging to develop a cell culture model that can not only proliferate but can also alter the pattern of its gene expression and thus assume a distinct phenotype characteristic of differentiated cells. Despite the aneuploid chromosome status, preneoplastic nature, and occasional deviation from the patterns seen with adipose tissue-derived adipocytes, 3T3 and ST 13 preadipose systems supply valuable information. In particular, they help to investigate the biochemical machinery for lipid storage and mobilization and how these develop during adipose conversion, with the emergence of a set of hormone receptors coupled with post-receptor effector systems that respond to physiological lipogenic and lipolytic stimuli. The development of a model system that gives rise to adipose tissue as a multicellular organ which involves cell-to-cell interactions between homologous as well as heterologous cell types remains an area of concern.