Fig. 3.

fMAT adipocytes exhibit a less mature adipocyte phenotype and have the ability to increase their triglyceride uptake and mature into larger adipocytes in vitro. (a) mRNA expression level of AIPOQ, CD36, RETN, FABP4, and PPARγ in fMAT and tsWAT adipocytes assessed by RT qPCR normalized to 18S-RNA. n = 20. (b) ELISA-based analysis of adipokines, leptin and adiponectin concentrations in supernatants of adipocytes from fMAT and tsWAT. n = 21. Average age of donors amounts 65 ± 13 years. (c) Counter-plots showing CD36⁺ expression among SGBS cells, fMAT and tsWAT adipocytes. Adipocytes have been gated from CD45^- cells in order to exclude leukocytes. (d) Representative pictures of image stream analysis (left) and mean fluorescence intensities of perilipin-1 and CD36 cell surface expression (right) from fMAT and tsWAT adipocytes. n = 15. (e - f) fMAT as well as tsWAT adipocytes have the ability to increase their triglyceride uptake and to mature into larger adipocytes. Flow cytometry analysis showing (e) adipocyte size and (f) CD36⁺ and perilipin⁺ adipocytes from fMAT and tsWAT cultured with or without the adipogenic differentiation cocktail (ADM) containing Insulin, Dexamethasone, IBMX, Apo-Transferrin and FCS, as indicated. Unstimulated adipocytes were used as a control. n = 12. Data are represented as mean ± SEM. Samples of 12 to 21 donors pooled from at least three independent experiments. *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001 calculated using two-tailed Wilcoxon matched pairs test.