Le prélèvement de tissu adipeux: un acte médical pour la recherche clinique. Perspectives pour le soin courant

摘要

Adipose tissue (AT) is now well recognized as an endocrine organ involved in energy homeostasis regulation acting both on the central nervous system and at the local level via its hormonal secretion such as leptin. Recently, the abdominal subcutaneous AT, which is easily accessible by using several procedures, became one of the important parameters used to phenotype morbidly obese patients. Indeed, morphologic and functional modifications such as, adipocyte hypertrophia, inflammation and fibrosis are associated with obesity-related metabolic complications. The objectives of this article are to present the various techniques of abdominal subcutaneous AT biopsies, as well as further information which they can bring. The less morbid technique is the subcutaneous AT needle aspiration, which is currently used in several indications including morbidly obese patient phenotyping. However, it does not allow a complete histological study because it generally provides unstructured AT samples. Surgical AT biopsy, which requires a cutaneous section, is more invasive than the needle aspiration. However, it allows a good quality complete histological study, but with a lesser AT amount than the needle aspiration.