Physiological and pathological roles of mast cells in adipose tissue

Mast cells are important cells for the innate immunity that reside in tissues including adipose tissue and are involved in various physiological and pathological processes by producing a range of biological mediators. Adipose tissue not only acts as an energy depot and regulator of energy homeostasis that can deposit excess energy and dissipate energy through heat， but also is an active endocrine organ capable of producing hormones and adipokines. The dysfunction of adipose tissue is highly correlated with metabolic disorders， such as obesity， type 2 diabetes mellitus and so on. This review focuses on the physiological and pathological roles of mast cells in adipose tissue.