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Objectives: We hypothesized that compared to obese, patients with type 2 diabetes
have lower total adipocyte number with less small adipocytes.
Research design and methods: Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained
from lean and obese with or without type 2 diabetes matched for BMI. Adipocyte size
was measured by osmium fixation and sizing/counting in a Coulter counter. Adipocyte
size and number sub-distributions [small, medium, large and very-large] were
determined.
Results: Compared to obese, type 2 diabetes patients had greater mean adipocyte
size and 67% bigger very-large adipocytes; total adipocyte number was lower, but the
fraction of small adipocytes was increased by 27%.
Conclusions: Total adipocyte cellularity is lower in type 2 diabetes vs. obese. We found
no evidence for depletion of small adipocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes. This
suggests the presence of a defect in early maturation of adipocytes in patients with type
2 diabetes.
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