Are we destined to gain belly fat as we age? A recent study published in the journal Science suggests so, revealing an unexpected culprit: the emergence of a new type of adult stem cell that significantly promotes the production of fat cells ( adipocytes ), particularly around the abdomen.
“It is common for individuals to lose muscle and gain fat mass as they age, even while maintaining a consistent weight,” states Dr. Qiong Wang from the City of Hope National Medical Center in California, who co-authored the study.
Mice and Men…
For their research, scientists first transplanted stem cells known as “adipocyte progenitor cells” from young mice and aged mice into a group of young mice. Adipocytes are the cells responsible for fat storage in the body.
The results were surprising: cells harvested from _____ aged animals rapidly produced a massive quantity of fat cells, regardless of the host’s age. However, when the team transplanted fat stem cells from young mice into older mice, the stem cells did not produce many new fat cells at all.
The researchers discovered that aging transforms these stem cells into a new type known as CP-A (for “committed preadipocytes, age-specific”). These CP-A cells, which emerge at midlife, actively produce new fat cells, explaining why older mice tend to gain more weight.
“While the growth capacity of most adult stem cells diminishes with age, the opposite occurs for adipocyte progenitor cells: aging unleashes their capacity for evolution and multiplication,” the authors continue.
Human Findings Confirmed
The team subsequently examined tissue samples from humans of various ages. They identified CP-A cells with a greater abundance in the tissues of middle-aged individuals. This finding indicates that these cells also have a substantial capacity to create new fat cells in humans.
“Understanding the role of CP-A in metabolic disorders and how these cells arise with aging could pave the way for new medical solutions to reduce abdominal fat and enhance health and longevity ,” the researchers conclude.
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