Stem cells are unique cells exhibiting self-renewing properties and the potential
to differentiate into multiple specialised cell types. Totipotent or pluripotent stem
cells are generally abundant in embryonic or fetal tissues, but the use of
discarded embryos as sources of these cells raises challenging ethical
problems. Adult stem cells can also differentiate into a wide variety of cell
types. In particular, adult adipose tissue contains a pool of abundant and
accessible multipotent stem cells, designated as adipose-derived stem cells
(ASCs), that are able to replicate as undifferentiated cells, to develop as
mature adipocytes and to differentiate into multiple other cell types along the
mesenchymal lineage, including chondrocytes, myocytes and osteocytes, and
also into cells of endodermal and neuroectodermal origin, including beta-cells
and neurons, respectively. An impairment in the differentiation potential and
biological functions of ASCs may contribute to the development of obesity and
related comorbidities. In this review, we summarise different aspects of the
ASCs with special reference to the isolation and characterisation of these cell
populations, their relation to the biochemical features of the adipose tissue
depot of origin and to the metabolic characteristics of the donor subject and
discuss some prospective therapeutic applications