OnDemand: February 2025 Grand Rounds - Adipocyte Biology in Health and Disease

The talk will cover the primary functions of adipocytes and adipose tissue and how these cells and tissues impact systemic metabolic health. The talk will also present various models where changes in adipose tissue mass are uncoupled from predicted outcomes in metabolic health. Various signaling pathways and proteins in adipocytes that improve or worsen systemic glucose metabolism will be discussed.

1. After participating in the webinar, learners will understand the three primary functions of adipocytes and how alterations in these specific functions impact systemic metabolic function.
2. After the webinar, learners will understand a new model of lipoatrophy in male and female mice that have decreased adipose tissue, but substantial impairment in insulin action.
3. By the end of this learning activity, learners will be able to analyze the mechanisms by which adipose tissue dysfunction—such as altered adipokine secretion, chronic inflammation, and impaired lipid storage—contributes to systemic metabolic dysfunction.
4. Learners will be able to apply this knowledge to identify clinical signs of adipose tissue dysregulation and develop evidence-based strategies for the prevention and management of associated metabolic diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders.

Jacqueline M. Stephens PhD, FTOS

Professor, Louisiana State University

Dr. Jacqueline M. Stephens received her PhD from East Carolina University School of Medicine in 1992. She has spent the last twenty years studying adipocyte biology and insulin signaling as a Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University. For the past thirteen years, she has also been the director of the Adipocyte Biology lab at Pennington Biomedical where she holds the title of Claude B. Pennington, Jr. Endowed Chair in Biomedical Research.

The Obesity Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Obesity Society designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ACCME Activity ID 202923677

Date of Release: March 1, 2025
Date of Termination: December 31, 2027

No commercial support was received for this activity.

Jacqueline Stephens, PhD, FTOS: No relevant financial relationships.

Jonathan Purnell, MD, FTOS: Consultation Relationship with Novo Nordisk (Pharmaceuticals), Boehringer Ingelheim (Pharmaceuticals), and Luciole (Pharmaceuticals).

No members of the TOS CME Oversight Committee, charged with the resolution of all relevant conflicts of interest, had any relevant financial relationships while serving on the committee.

1. Harvey I, Boudreau A, Stephens JM. Adipose tissue in health and disease. Open Biol. 2020 Dec;10(12):200291. doi: 10.1098/rsob.200291. Epub 2020 Dec 9. PMID: 33292104; PMCID: PMC7776562.

2. Burrell JA, Boudreau A, Stephens JM. Latest advances in STAT signaling and function in adipocytes. Clin Sci (Lond). 2020 Mar 27;134(6):629-639. doi: 10.1042/CS20190522. PMID: 32219346.
3. 3. Richard AJ, Hang H, Allerton TD, Zhao P, Mendoza T, Ghosh S, Elks CM, Stephens JM. Loss of Adipocyte STAT5 Confers Increased Depot-Specific Adiposity in Male and Female Mice That Is Not Associated With Altered Adipose Tissue Lipolysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2022 Apr 7;13:812802. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2022.812802. PMID: 35464049; PMCID: PMC9022209.