脂肪组织是重要的代谢和内分泌器官,分布于皮下、内脏器官周围等部位,依据形态和功能可以分为棕色、白色和米色脂肪组织,对糖脂代谢、胰岛素敏感性等发挥关键调控作用,影响机体能量稳态。脂肪组织内分布交感和感觉神经纤维,前者通过释放去甲肾上腺素(norepinephrine,NE)促进白色脂肪细胞脂解与棕色脂肪细胞产热,具有较强可塑性,受到脂肪组织内不同基质细胞、免疫细胞等调控;感觉神经纤维则将脂肪组织中的信号传递到中枢神经系统。脂肪组织内神经支配失常会影响肥胖、糖尿病和心脑血管疾病等一系列健康问题。

Adipose tissue is an important metabolic and endocrine organ, distributed in the subcutaneous tissue and around internal organs. Based on its morphological and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be divided into white, brown and beige adipose tissue, which plays a key role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, as well as insulin sensitivity, and affects energy homeostasis. Sympathetic and sensory nerve fibers are distributed in adipose tissue. By releasing norepinephrine (NE), sympathetic nerves can promote lipolysis in white adipocytes and thermogenesis in brown adipocytes. The sympathetic regulation of adipose tissue is modulated by different stromal cells and immune cells within adipose tissue. Simultaneously, sensory nerves transmit signals from adipose tissue to the central nervous system. Disorders of neural innervation in adipose tissue usually lead to a series of health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cerebrovascular diseases.