Adipose tissue: univacuolar and multivacuolar adipocytes (HE)

The univacuolar adipocyte is the common form of the adipocytes (lipocytes, steatocytes), in the legends of the other figures the term adipocyte refers to this type. The multivacuolar adipocytes store the lipids in several small droplets instead of a common large one, therefore they appear "foamy", have a fair amount of cytoplasm, and their nucleus is not marginalized. Multivacuolar cell is the {steatoblast}, which is a maturing form, but multivacuolar cells also appear after long starvation. The cells of the brown adipose tissue are also multivacuolar. Their lipids can be mobilized easily, their colour is attributed to the rich vascularization and the number of mitochondria (i.e. cytochromes). It is a characteristic tissue in hibernating mammals, in humans it is confined to the babies, except the interscapular region, where it persists in adults.