FIGURE 1.

Adipocytes have remarkable plastic properties. In usual scenario adipose tissue consists of white, brown and occasional beige adipocytes. The main function of white adipocytes is to store lipids to meet the metabolic requirements of the body while brown adipocytes are required for thermogenesis. Beige adipocytes have the ability to switch between energy storage and expenditure. However, during certain conditions like cold exposure or strenuous exercise, white adipocytes trans-differentiates to beige or brown adipocytes while during the state of positive energy when there is lack of lipid storage, brown/beige adipocytes can be converted back to white adipocytes to increase the energy stores. During pregnancy and lactation, subcutaneous white adipocytes of the breast tissue convert to pink adipocytes which are basically the milk secreting glands formed by lipid-rich elements and brown adipocytes trans-differentiate to myoepithelial cells of mammary glands. All these conversions are reversible, i.e., post-lactation, pink adipocytes convert back to white and brown adipocytes.