FIGURE 13.

Ectopic lipid hypothesis of liver and muscle insulin resistance. The central organizing principle is that lipid storage in white adipose tissue, especially in subcutaneous depots, is physiologically appropriate, but lipid storage in liver and skeletal muscle is inappropriate and metabolically harmful. Lipid accumulation at these ‟ectopicˮ sites is associated with insulin resistance. Human phenotypes are listed above silhouettes, and corresponding mouse models, described in the main text, are below.