Lower total adipocyte number, but no evidence for small adipocyte depletion in patients with type 2 diabetes
- Magdalena Pasarica, MD, PhD,
- Hui Xie, MS,
- David Hymel, BS,
- George Bray, MD,
- Frank Greenway, MD,
- Eric Ravussin, PhD and
- Steven R. Smith, MD (SmithSR{at}pbrc.edu)
Abstract
Objectives: We hypothesized that compared to obese, patients with type 2 diabetes have lower total adipocyte number with less small adipocytes.
Research design and methods: Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained from lean and obese with or without type 2 diabetes matched for BMI. Adipocyte size was measured by osmium fixation and sizing/counting in a Coulter counter. Adipocyte size and number sub-distributions [small, medium, large and very-large] were determined.
Results: Compared to obese, type 2 diabetes patients had greater mean adipocyte size and 67% bigger very-large adipocytes; total adipocyte number was lower, but the fraction of small adipocytes was increased by 27%.
Conclusions: Total adipocyte cellularity is lower in type 2 diabetes vs. obese. We found no evidence for depletion of small adipocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes. This suggests the presence of a defect in early maturation of adipocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Footnotes
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- Received December 16, 2008.
- Accepted February 10, 2009.
- Copyright © American Diabetes Association
