ABSTRACT
The traditional function of white adipose tissue (WAT) as an organ exclusively devoted to storing energy during times of abundance and releasing it during fasting has recently been expanded. WAT is now considered a complex and highly active secretory organ, sending out and responding to signals that modulate appetite, energy expenditure, insulin sensitivity, endocrine and reproductive system functions, bone metabolism, inflammation, and immunity (Fantuzzi 2005; Kershaw and Flier 2004). These characteristics link WAT to the whole body and make it an essential tissue in the regulation of several physiological functions (Wang et al. 2008).
