Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Site differences in human subcutaneous adipose tissue metabolism in obesity

  • Published:
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The results of several recent studies indicate that there are regional differences in the metabolism of subcutaneous fatty depots in obesity. Fat cells are larger in the femoral than in the abdominal region. Lipids are mobilized at a slower rate but synthesized at a higher rate in the former than the latter region. Fasting is accompanied by an increased rate of fat mobilization and a decreased rate of fat synthesis in all fat depots. These changes are, however, more pronounced in abdominal than in femoral fat. There are also regional differences in the hormonal regulation of fat metabolism in obesity. The action of insulin is most pronounced in the femoral region whereas that of catecholamines is most marked in the abdominal area. The regional differences in hormone action are further enhanced during therapeutic fasting. These differences may partly explain why adiposity is more catching in some fatty regions than in others and also why some obese areas are resistant to slimming.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Amatudra JH, Livingston JN, Lockwood PH: Insulin receptor: Role in the resistance of human obesity to insulin. Science188:264, 1975

    Google Scholar 

  2. Arner P, Bolinder J, Engfeldt P, Östman J: The antilipolytic effect of insulin in human adipose tissue in obesity, diabetes mellitus, hyperinsulinemia, and starvation. Metabolism30:753, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  3. Arner P, Engfeldt P, Lithell H: Site differences in the basal metabolism of subcutaneous fat in obese women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab53:948, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  4. Arner P, Engfeldt P, Nowak J: In vivo observations on the lipolytic effect of noradrenaline during therapeutic fasting. J Clin Endocrinol Metab53:1207, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  5. Arner P, Engfeldt P, Wennlund A, Östman J: Post receptor activation of lipolysis in starvation, diabetes mellitus, and hyperthyroidism. Horm Metab Res13:272, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  6. Arner P, Östman J: Changes in the adrenergic control and the rate of lipolysis of isolated human adipose tissue during fasting and after re-feeding. Acta Med Scand200:273, 1976

    Google Scholar 

  7. Arner P, Östman J: Relationship between the tissue level cyclic AMP and the fat cell size of human adipose tissue. J Lipid Res19:613 1978

    Google Scholar 

  8. Björntorp P, Östman J: Human adipose tissue. Dynamics and regulation. Adv Metab Dis5:277, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bolinder J, Engfeldt P, Östman J, Arner P: Site differences in insulin receptor binding and insulin action in subcutaneous fat of obese females. J Clin Endocrinol Metab57:455, 1983

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ciaraldi TP, Kolterman OG, Olefsky JM: Mechanisms of the post-receptor defect in insulin action in human obesity: Decrease in glucose transport system activity J Clin Invest68:875, 1981

    Google Scholar 

  11. Engfeldt P, Arner P, Östman J: Changes in phosphodiesterase activity of human subcutaneous adipose tissue during starvation. Metabolism31:910, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gilbert CH, Galton PJ: The effect of catecholamines and fasting on cyclic AMP and release of glycerol from human adipose tissue. Horm Metab Res6:229, 1974

    Google Scholar 

  13. Jacobsson B, Holm G, Björntorp P, Smith U: Influence of cell size on the effects of insulin and noradrenalin on human adipose tissue. Diabetologia12:69, 1976

    Google Scholar 

  14. Kather H, Zöllig K, Simon B, Schlierf G: Human fat cell adenylate cyclase, regional differences in adrenaline responsiveness. Europ J Clin Invest7:595, 1977

    Google Scholar 

  15. Kjellberg J, Östman J: Lipolysis and glucose tolerance in obese subjects during prolonged starvation. Acta Med Scand190:191, 1971

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lafontan M, Dang-Tran L, Berlan M: Alpha-adrenergic antilipolytic effect of adrenaline in human fat cells of the thigh: Comparison with adrenaline responsiveness of different fat deposits. Europ J Clin Invest9:261, 1979

    Google Scholar 

  17. Lithell H, Boberg J: The lipoprotein-lipase activity of adipose tissue from different sites in obese women and relationship to cell-size. Int J Obesity2:47, 1978

    Google Scholar 

  18. Olefsky JM: Decreased insulin binding to adipocytes and circulating monocytes from obese subjects. J Clin Invest57:1165, 1976

    Google Scholar 

  19. Östman J, Arner P, Engfeldt P, Kager L: Regional differences in the control of lipolysis in human adipose tissue. Metabolism28:1198, 1979

    Google Scholar 

  20. Östman J, Arner P, Kimura H, Wahrenberg H, Engfeldt P: Effect of therapeutic fasting on alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors in subcutaneous adipocytes. Europ J Clin Invest (Submitted)

  21. Pedersen O, Hjöllund E, Schwartz Sörensen N: Insulin receptor binding and insulin action in human fat cells: Effects of obesity and fasting. Metabolism31:884, 1982

    Google Scholar 

  22. Vague J, Boyer J, Jubelin J, Nickolino C, Pinto C: Adipo-muscular ratio in human subjects. In Physiopathology of Adipose Tissue, J Vague, R Denton, eds, Amsterdam: Excerpta Medica, 1969, p 460

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine at the Huddinge Hospital, Karolinska Institute, S-141 86, Huddinge, Sweden

    Peter Arner M.D.

Authors
  1. Peter Arner M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Arner, P. Site differences in human subcutaneous adipose tissue metabolism in obesity. Aesth. Plast. Surg. 8, 13–17 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01572779

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01572779

Key words

Search

Navigation