FAT CELL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fat cell mean? 

• FAT CELL (noun)
  The noun FAT CELL has 1 sense:

1. cells composed of fat

  Familiarity information: FAT CELL used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FAT CELL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cells composed of fat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Synonyms:

adipose cell; fat cell

Hypernyms ("fat cell" is a kind of...):

somatic cell; vegetative cell (any of the cells of a plant or animal except the reproductive cells; a cell that does not participate in the production of gametes)

Meronyms (substance of "fat cell"):

fat (a soft greasy substance occurring in organic tissue and consisting of a mixture of lipids (mostly triglycerides))

 Context examples 

They then identified specific populations of cells with a protein marker of brown fat cells known as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1).

(Insights into Energy-Burning Fat Cells, NIH)

Lesion in the mammary gland that is a focal area of necrosis (death) of the fat cells.

(Fat Necrosis of the Mouse Mammary Gland, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

Researchers have previously shown that, in response to cold, white fat cells in both animals and humans take on characteristics of brown fat cells.

(Cool temperature alters human fat and metabolism, NIH)

It is also associated with muscle cells, Schwann cells, fat cells, and capillaries; and is interposed between the cellular elements and the underlying connective tissue.

(Basilar Membrane, NCI Thesaurus)

Since brown fat cells are able to burn calories, they could potentially play a role in strategies to reduce obesity and its associated disorders.

(Nanoparticles target, transform fat tissue, NIH)

The virus has a two-fold effect, not only irritating fat cells and causing them to become inflamed, but also preventing them dying and being flushed away by the body.

(Scientists Find Virus Linked to Weight Gain, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

A specialized form of connective tissue consisting primarily of adipocytes (fat cells), surrounded by a meshwork of collagen fibers.

(Adipose Tissue, NCI Thesaurus)

The team found another region of genetic variation common to the Inuit that includes genes thought to be involved in the regulation of brown and brite fat cells.

(Genetic Adaptations to Diet and Climate, NIH)

A rare benign slow growing adipose tissue tumor, characterized by the presence of polygonal brown fat cells with multivacuolated and/or granular cytoplasm.

(Hibernoma, NCI Thesaurus)

A connective tissue cell that develops into a fat cell.

(Lipoblast, NCI Thesaurus)