Dimorphic Nature of Adipose Tissue and Role of Herbal Extracts in Lipids Metabolism

Adipose tissue, known as body fat, plays a crucial role in human health and disease. Traditionally viewed as a storage site for excess energy as body fat, advances in medical research have shown the complex and dynamic nature of adipose tissue, highlighting its critical role in the regulation of metabolism, hormone production, and immune response. Adipose tissue is subdivided into two types – lipids accumulating white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT), color of which is determined by the load of mitochondria; the beige adipose tissue (BeAT) is a mix of WAT and BAT cells. This review aims to explore the multifaceted aspects of WAT, focusing on key areas: the diverse cell types comprising WAT and their unique functions, the major genes expressed and secreted from adipose tissue cells, the role of adipose tissue in inflammation, and the sex-specific differences in adipose tissue transcriptomes. Understanding the intricate dynamics of adipose tissue in the context of secreted factors having systemic effects, including inflammatory response, is essential, given its central role in maintaining energy balance and metabolic homeostasis in health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Examining adipocyte-specific transcriptomes gives an understanding of the unique characteristics of these cells. The dimorphic nature of adipose tissue not only influences body fat distribution but also affects disease susceptibility and response to treatment. Additionally, this review will cover the increasingly recognized role and the intriguing effects of plant extracts on adipogenesis, which offer potential therapeutic avenues for treating obesity and its related disorders.

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