The properties of adipose tissues accumulating in various compartments and ectopic sites around the body represent critical determinants of the relationship between obesity and metabolic disease. The increasingly recognized plasticity of the adipose cell phenotype led to many articles on the cellular characteristics and origins on brown, white and also of ‘beige’ or ‘brite’ adipocytes in recent years. This overview is a summary of manuscripts that were prepared by speakers at the 16th International Symposium of the Laval University Research Chair in Obesity. The data reviewed herein suggest that brown adipose tissue-inducing therapies may also modulate skeletal status through their effects on bone morphology and structure. Moreover, recently identified beige-like properties of epicardial fat in humans could eventually be considered for the management of coronary heart disease in humans. The regulation of brown adipose tissue activation through sympathetic nervous system innervation or non-sympathetic activators is also a complex phenomenon that needs further investigation. Scientific work aimed at better understanding the characteristics and regulation of metabolic homeostasis in each adipose compartment is an important aspect of our progression toward preventive or even curative approaches for obesity.

堆积在人体各个部位和异位部位的脂肪组织的特性是肥胖与代谢疾病之间关系的关键决定因素。近年来，越来越多地认识到脂肪细胞表型的可塑性，引起了许多关于细胞特征和起源的文章，涉及棕色，白色以及“米色”或“ brite”脂肪细胞。此概述是由Laval大学肥胖研究主席的第16届国际研讨会的演讲者准备的手稿摘要。本文回顾的数据表明，诱导棕色脂肪组织的疗法还可通过其对骨骼形态和结构的影响来调节骨骼状态。而且，最近发现的人心外膜脂肪的米色样特性最终可以考虑用于治疗人的冠心病。通过交感神经系统神经支配或非交感神经激活剂调节棕色脂肪组织的激活也是一个复杂的现象，需要进一步研究。旨在更好地了解每个脂肪区室中代谢稳态的特征和调控的科学工作，是我们朝着预防性或什至治愈性肥胖方法发展的重要方面。