ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the genomic approach using microarray analysis to understand adipogenesis-dependent gene expression. Adipose tissue is composed of mature adipocytes, the stromal vascular fraction, which contains the preadipocytes, blood vessels, lymph nodes, and nerves. Microarray analysis has been used to profile adipose tissue changes in gene expression with obesity. A hierarchical clustering analysis of gene-expression profiles in nerve tissues, lymphoid tissues, muscle tissues, or adipose tissues identified a set of genes that were commonly expressed among related tissues. The chapter discuss some of limited microarray studies that report gene expression regulation during adipocyte differentiation. It discusses examples of large scale analysis of genes that are expressed in a cell type-specific manner in adipose tissue. Many proteins secreted from adipose tissue operate in an autocrine paracrine manner to regulate adipocyte metabolism and upon secretion into the bloodstream, act as endocrine signals atmultiple distant sites to regulate energy homeostasis, e.g., resistin, angiotensin, and adiponectin.
