Bone marrow adipose tissue

Bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) accounts for approximately 70% of total bone marrow (BM) volume and over 10% of total adipose mass in lean, healthy humans. BMAT further increases with aging and in diverse clinical conditions, including osteoporosis, obesity, and with glucocorticoid treatment. The existence of bone marrow adipocytes (BMAds) has been noted for 150 years, yet their physiological roles and pathological implications have remained poorly understood. However, increasing research interest in BMAds is beginning to elucidate these functions, including their endocrine and metabolic properties and the impact of BMAds on skeletal remodeling, hematopoiesis, tumor progression and beyond.