Research

Hormonal

Insulin regulates adipose tissue development and function by activating specific insulin receptor (INSR) splice variants (INSR-A and INSR-B) and downstream signaling cascades (PI3K/AKT), which control glucose uptake, lipid storage, and adipokine secretion.

Understand that insulin is essential for healthy fat tissue function, including cell survival and the release of beneficial hormones. The goal is not to eliminate insulin, but to maintain sensitivity so it can perform these critical roles without causing metabolic dysfunction.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Insulin regulates several aspects of the development and function of adipose tissue and stimulates the differentiation program of adipose cells. Insulin can activate its responses in adipose tissue through two INSR splicing variants: INSR-A, which is predominantly expressed in mesenchymal and less-differentiated cells and mainly linked to cell proliferation, and INSR-B, which is more expressed in terminally differentiated cells and coupled to metabolic effects.
Angelo Cignarelli et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2019

Why this rating

The paper is a comprehensive review citing numerous in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, though it does not present new primary clinical trial data.

Source

Insulin and Insulin Receptors in Adipose Tissue Development

Angelo Cignarelli et al. · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2019

DOI 10.3390/ijms20030759

narrative_reviewCited 213×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →