Bone Marrow Adipocytes: A Critical Player in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment

Lipeng Wang; Hao Zhang; Sicheng Wang; Xiao Chen; Jiacan Su

doi:10.3389/fcell.2021.770705

Bone Marrow Adipocytes: A Critical Player in the Bone Marrow Microenvironment

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2021 Nov 29:9:770705. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2021.770705. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Lipeng Wang¹, Hao Zhang², Sicheng Wang³, Xiao Chen², Jiacan Su^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Orthopedics Trauma, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Zhongye Hospital, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Recognized for nearly 100 years, bone marrow adipocytes (BMAs) form bone marrow niches that contain hematopoietic and bone cells, the roles of which have long been underestimated. Distinct from canonical white, brown, and beige adipocytes, BMAs derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells possess unique characteristics and functions. Recent single-cell sequencing studies have revealed the differentiation pathway, and seminal works support the tenet that BMAs are critical regulators in hematopoiesis, osteogenesis, and osteoclastogenesis. In this review, we discuss the origin and differentiation of BMAs, as well as the roles of BMAs in hematopoiesis, osteogenesis, osteoclastogenesis, and immune regulation. Overall, BMAs represent a novel target for bone marrow-related diseases, including osteoporosis and leukemia.

Keywords: bone marrow adipocytes; bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells; hematopoiesis; immune regulation; osteoclastogenesis; osteogenesis.

Publication types

Review