ADIPOSE TISSUE AND ITS ENDOCRINE FUNCTION

Abstract

Recently, it has been discovered that adipose tissue has a crucial influence over diverse physiological processes through the secretion of diverse endocrine, paracrine and autocrine factors, known as adipokines. As it has been known for many years, many of the adipokines secreted by the adipose tissue have an important influence on energy metabolism by regulating the storage and production of triglycerides and cholesterol. One of the most important new findings related to the functions of the adipose tissue is how its increase in size stimulates the secretion of cytokines with pro-inflammatory characteristics, which influence its own cellularity, angiogenesis, and the immune cells migration. Recent studies have shown how faced with changes in homeostasis, adipose tissue may respond by releasing coagulation factors, thereby modifying coagulation and fibrinolysis processes. Adipose tissue direct involvement in vascularization and angioge- nesis has been unveiled through the discovery of new adipokines such as quemerine and monobutyrin. The study of adipokines and their range of effects on the body has broaden the landscape of the functions adipose tissue carry out, and its importance for metabolism and homeostasis. Considering all the new findings and information being generated, this literature review seeks to enumerate, describe and analyze the main endocrine functions of the adipose tissue. The methodology used for this descriptive bibliographic research consisted of a systematic review of scientific articles from diverse data bases. Afterwards, the top 30 articles, in both Spanish and English, were selected as sources for the literature review.