Marrow Fat and Bone--new Perspectives

Overview

Journal J Clin Endocrinol Metab

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Endocrinology

Date 2013 Feb 9

PMID 23393168

Citations 218

Authors

Pouneh K Fazeli

Mark C Horowitz

Ormond A MacDougald

Erica L Scheller

Matthew S Rodeheffer

Clifford J Rosen

Anne Klibanski

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Context: There is growing interest in the relationship between bone mineral density, bone strength, and fat depots. Marrow adipose tissue, a well-established component of the marrow environment, is metabolically distinct from peripheral fat depots, but its functional significance is unknown.

Objective: In this review, we discuss animal and human data linking the marrow adipose tissue depot to parameters of bone density and integrity as well as the potential significance of marrow adipose tissue in metabolic diseases associated with bone loss, including type 1 diabetes mellitus and anorexia nervosa. Potential hormonal determinants of marrow adipose tissue are also discussed.

Conclusions: We conclude that whereas most animal and human data demonstrate an inverse association between marrow adipose tissue and measures of bone density and strength, understanding the functional significance of marrow adipose tissue and its hormonal determinants will be critical to better understanding its role in skeletal integrity and the role of marrow adipose tissue in the pathophysiology of bone loss.

Citing Articles

Marrow Adiposity Content and Composition Are Not Associated With Incident Fragility Fractures in Postmenopausal Women: The ADIMOS Fracture Study.

Philippoteaux C, Badr S, Lombardo D, Cailliau E, Ruschke S, Karampinos D J Endocr Soc. 2025; 9(4):bvaf033.

PMID: 40071067 PMC: 11893378. DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaf033.

Associations between hormones, metabolic markers, and bone mass in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women.

Lu B, Han Q, Zhao S, Ding S, Bao G, Liu Y J Bone Miner Metab. 2025; .

PMID: 40044973 DOI: 10.1007/s00774-025-01595-x.

Application of extracellular vesicles in diabetic osteoporosis.

Jia X, Zhang G, Yu D Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 15:1466775.

PMID: 39720256 PMC: 11666354. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2024.1466775.

CTX-1 and TRACP-5b as biomarkers for osteoporosis risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study.

Roy M, Majid H, Khan P, Sharma N, Kohli S, Islam S J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2024; 23(2):2055-2064.

PMID: 39610562 PMC: 11599675. DOI: 10.1007/s40200-024-01464-w.

Pathological mechanisms and related markers of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Li L, Zhao S, Leng Z, Chen S, Shi Y, Shi L Ann Med. 2024; 56(1):2416070.

PMID: 39529511 PMC: 11559024. DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2416070.

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