Adipose tissue macrophages and their polarization in health and obesity.

Adipose tissue is a special tissue environment due to its high lipid content. Adipose tissue macrophages (ATMs) help maintain adipose tissue homeostasis in steady state by clearing dead adipocytes. However, adipose tissue changes drastically during obesity, resulting in a state of chronic low grade inflammation and a shift in the adipose immune landscape. In this review we will discuss how these changes influence the polarization of ATMs.