Keystone Symposia: Adipose Tissue Biology (J3)

The study of adipose tissue has evolved over the years from merely being a passing note in most physiology texts to now playing center stage in the etiology of most metabolic diseases. This shift was assisted by early studies exploring the molecular signals and gene expression changes that dictate the differentiated state of a cell, for which the adipocyte was a model. Such studies led to the discovery of PPARgamma as one of those key regulators of adipogenesis, and later the realization that it was the pharmacologic target of the glitazone class of anti-diabetic agents. Further seminal studies from The Jackson Laboratories on mouse genetics of obesity paved the way for the discovery of adipocyte-derived regulatory hormones ( adipokines ) such as leptin and its receptor. These in turn ushered in the current state of vigorous investigation dissecting the molecular pathways of satiety and other aspects of signaling cross-talk between adipose tissue and other organs. The updated view of adipose tissue as a bona fide endocrine organ has been further extended to include it as a potential reservoir of stem cells for tissue engineering and an integral player in inflammatory status and insulin resistance. This meeting will cover these and other topics of the adipose biology field, including the role of angiogenesis in adipose tissue expansion; the white fat-brown fat debate; the contribution of the circadian clock to the hormonal and neural signals that coordinate food intake and activity for metabolic balance; and the connections between central and peripheral signals involved in the unanticipated lipodystrophic disorders resulting from such therapeutic regimens as antipsychotics and anti-retrovirals. A series of hot-topic sessions and short talks from submitted abstracts are also planned.