White adipose tissue (WAT)

White adipose tissue is a specialized connective tissue composed primarily of unilocular adipocytes—cells containing a single large lipid droplet that stores energy in the form of triglycerides. It is the most abundant form of adipose tissue in adult humans and serves as the main site for long-term energy storage. In addition to its role as an energy reservoir, white adipose tissue functions as an endocrine organ by secreting hormones such as leptin and adiponectin that regulate appetite, metabolism, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and other physiological processes. White adipose tissue also provides insulation against cold temperatures and cushions internal organs from mechanical injury. Its distribution includes subcutaneous depots beneath the skin and visceral depots around internal organs; excess accumulation—especially in visceral locations—is strongly associated with increased risk for obesity-related metabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease[1][4][5][6]. **Note:** "White adipose tissue" is not a canonical molecular target like a receptor or enzyme but rather an entire *tissue* composed of many cell types with complex functions. It cannot be classified under standard molecular target categories such as "receptor," "enzyme," or "ion channel." Therefore: *is_target*: false — it is not considered a therapeutic target in the sense used for drug discovery; rather it is an organ/tissue system. *is_incorrect*: true — because this entry refers to a whole tissue/organ system rather than a specific molecular entity suitable for structured drug-target information[1][4].

Other names

white fatbody fat (when referring to the white type)subcutaneous fat (when location-specific)visceral fat (when location-specific)