ABSTRACT
Obesity is associated with a signifi cant increase in morbidity and mortality. Over the last decade, adipose tissue has emerged as a major player in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. It is now considered a major endocrine organ because of its size and secretion of numerous metabolically active molecules, collectively known as adipokines, which play a key role in regulation of energy homeostasis. In obesity, excessive and abnormal distribution of adipose tissue leads to the activation and recruitment of immune cells followed by release of proinfl ammatory adipokines, which act both locally and in distant tissues (i.e., liver, skeletal muscle, endothelium, pancreas) to cause insulin resistance. Collectively, insert these abnormalities eventually lead to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, endothelial dysfunction with accelerated atherosclerosis, and overt cardiovascular disease. Th e number of newly identifi ed adipokines continues to expand, whereas the relevance and specifi c function of each molecule remains to be fully elucidated. Th e understanding of intricate adipocyte biology and the underlying molecular basis of obesity and its complications will facilitate the development of novel preventive and more eff ective therapeutic regimens.
