Intermuscular adipose tissue in obesity and related disorders: cellular origins, biological characteristics and regulatory mechanisms

1 Introduction Obesity is associated with increased risks for diverse diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and several cancers (1). Intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) is a unique adipose depot that expands between myofibers or adjacent muscle groups, which develops and progresses alongside the expansion of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue due to obesity (2).