Adipocyte by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

An adipocyte is basically a fat cell, a cell that has become specialized in the making and storage of fat.

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Function of adipocyte
The adipocyte is important to the body in maintaining proper energy balance, storing calories in the form of lipids, and mobilizing energy sources in response to hormonal stimulation. Interest in the biology of white adipose tissue has risen markedly with the recent surge in obesity and its associated disorders. Adipocytes are no longer viewed simply as a vehicle for lipid storage; instead, the adipocyte is recognized as a major endocrine and secretory cell and adipocytes, collectively, act as an organ.

Adipocytes as Endocrine Organs
White adipocytes release a number of protein hormones, signals and factors, termed adipokines, with an extensive range of physiological actions. Foremost among these various adipokines is the cytokine-like hormone, leptin, which is synthesized predominantly in white fat. White fat also secretes several putative appetite-related adipokines, which include interleukin-6 and adiponectin, but whether these are indeed significant signals in the regulation of food intake has not been established. Through leptin and the other adipokines it is evident that adipose tissue communicates extensively with other organs and plays a pervasive role in metabolic homeostasis.

Adipocyte and toxins
White adipose tissue represents a reservoir of lipophilic environmental pollutants, especially of those which are resistant to biological and chemical degradation - so called persistent organic pollutants.