noun
- A cell specialized for the storage of fat; a fat cell.
Usage: technical; biology
Examples
- Adipocytes expand in size when the body stores excess energy as triglycerides.
- The hormone leptin is produced by adipocytes to regulate appetite.
- Brown adipocytes burn calories to generate heat, unlike white adipocytes.
- Obesity is characterized by an increase in both the number and size of adipocytes.
- Researchers are studying how adipocytes communicate with the brain to control metabolism.
- Insulin promotes glucose uptake in adipocytes for energy storage.