Sorting out adipocyte precursors and their role in physiology and disease

The ability to maintain and expand the pool of adipocytes in adults is integral to the regulation of energy balance, tissue/stem cell homeostasis, and disease pathogenesis. For decades, our knowledge of adipocyte precursors has relied on cellular models. The identity of native adipocyte precursors has remained unclear. Recent studies have identified distinct adipocyte precursor populations that are physiologically regulated and contribute to the development, maintenance, and expansion of adipocyte pools in mice. With new tools available, the properties of adipocyte precursors can now be defined, and the regulation and function of adipose plasticity in development and physiology can be explored.