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Adipose tissue
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<p>Adipose tissue (also known as body fat or simply fat) is a loose <a href="/facts/Connective_tissue/mal3fc7k">connective tissue</a> composed mostly of <a href="/facts/Adipocyte/FuM7LlaK">adipocytes</a>. It also contains the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of cells including <a href="/facts/Preadipocyte/FuM7LlaK">preadipocytes</a>, <a href="/facts/Fibroblast/n08KsFll">fibroblasts</a>, <a href="/facts/Blood_vessel/FG3GjPNW">vascular</a> <a href="/facts/Endothelial_cell/L4ENFVnw">endothelial cells</a> and a variety of <a href="/facts/White_blood_cell/vsDunUK0">immune cells</a> such as <a href="/facts/Adipose_tissue_macrophages/j67wMNTN">adipose tissue macrophages</a>. Its main role is to store <a href="/facts/Energy/wd8PrQM7">energy</a> in the form of <a href="/facts/Lipid/TdQR87HX">lipids</a>, although it also cushions and <a href="/facts/Thermal_insulation/j7tVT4uv">insulates</a> the body. </p><p>Previously treated as being hormonally inert, in recent years adipose tissue has been recognized as a major <a href="/facts/Endocrine/PDvN5cpj">endocrine</a> organ, as it produces <a href="/facts/Hormone/WFnBnINJ">hormones</a> such as <a href="/facts/Leptin/Dq2sFRXl">leptin</a>, <a href="/facts/Estrogen/dPEewnDV">estrogen</a>, <a href="/facts/Resistin/aLtASSMI">resistin</a>, and <a href="/facts/Cytokine/SdWpWABH">cytokines</a> (especially <a href="/facts/TNF-alpha/7NWNIaCb">TNFα</a>). In obesity, adipose tissue is implicated in the chronic release of pro-inflammatory markers known as <a href="/facts/Adipokines/qavkE2Fo">adipokines</a>, which are responsible for the development of <a href="/facts/Metabolic_syndrome/jI70tRBv">metabolic syndrome</a>—a constellation of diseases including <a href="/facts/Type_2_diabetes/zCMXksmt">type 2 diabetes</a>, <a href="/facts/Cardiovascular_disease/HD420nMv">cardiovascular disease</a> and <a href="/facts/Atherosclerosis/WIS8QQ6v">atherosclerosis</a>. </p><p>Adipose tissue is derived from preadipocytes and its formation appears to be controlled in part by the <a href="/facts/Adipose_gene/BpaP62I6">adipose gene</a>. The two types of adipose tissue are <a href="/facts/White_adipose_tissue/VGUkQNv6">white adipose tissue</a> (WAT), which stores energy, and <a href="/facts/Brown_adipose_tissue/ut8P9TLS">brown adipose tissue</a> (BAT), which generates body heat. Adipose tissue—more specifically brown adipose tissue—was first identified by the Swiss naturalist <a href="/facts/Conrad_Gessner/m4DqHYJx">Conrad Gessner</a> in 1551. </p>