Adipose tissue and women's health discussed.

2003 NOV 6 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- The view of adipose tissue and its role in women's health is discussed in a recent issue of the journal Pathologie Biologie.

"Nowadays, in industrialized societies, it is fashionable for women to be slim. However, throughout history, this has not always been the case, especially as 'cellulite' (cellulitis) was full of typically feminine symbols. The ideal feminine silhouette has changed with the rhythm of cultures," investigators in France report.

"Cellulitis is an inappropriate term used by women to describe curves that they judge to be too plump and not very aesthetic, mostly around the thighs and hips," said J. Franchi and colleagues at Laboratoires R&D-LVMH branche parfums et cosmetiques. "This lipodystrophy of the adipose tissue represents approximately 25% of a woman's body weight. It is clinically characterized by an 'orange peel' skin surface, which is a result of the excessive development of the volume of the adipocytes organized in lobules within the walls of the unstretchable conjunctive tissue."

"This phenomenon is associated with an insufficiency of the venous tonus and an increase in the capillary permeability, which both contribute to an increase in the infiltration of water in the tissue," stated the researchers. "In reality, the understanding of cellulite has truly progressed with research based on adipocyte functions. An adipocyte is a metabolically active cell that plays a central role in the control of the energetic balance of the organism. In order to assume this role, it possesses all the enzymatic equipment ...