Adipocyte turnover rate

Value 8.4 % per year Range: ±6.2 % per year
Organism Human Homo sapiens
Reference Spalding, KL. Dynamics of fat cell turnover in humans. Nature. 2008. 453(7196):783-7. doi: 10.1038/nature06902. p.785 right column top & bottom of paragraphPubMed ID18454136
Method Abstract: "To establish the dynamics within the stable population of adipocytes in adults, [investigators] have measured adipocyte turnover by analysing the integration of 14C derived from nuclear bomb tests in genomic DNA [ref [6] PMID 16009139]."
Comments P.785 right column top paragraph: "[Investigators] next calculated the dynamics of fat cell turnover using a simple birth and death model (detailed in Supplementary Information 3). The model’s assumptions allow the calculation of kinetic rates for individual subjects. The death rate of adipocytes is approximately 8.4±6.2% per yr (median±average deviation) in the total fat pool of the body...[They] found no trend for an increase in average cell number in subjects aged 20–70yr using data presented in Fig. 2b (n=650 and P=0.19 by linear regression analysis), arguing that the adipocyte death rate per yr must be matched with a similar birthrate. This translates into an adipocyte turnover rate similar for all weight categories. [They] calculate a median turnover rate of 8.4±6.2% (median±average deviation) per yr, with half of the adipocytes replaced every 8.3yr."
Entered by Phil Mongiovi
ID 103455