Quick Facts
Adipose tissue is a connective tissue made up of fat cells in a meshwork of areolar tissue (Dorland, 2011).
Structure/Morphology
Adipose tissue is formed of adipocytes and found inside the dense connective tissue surrounding the fascicles in a nerve.
Key Features/Anatomical Relations
Interfascicular adipose tissue is directly enclosed by the epineurium.
Function
Adipose tissue acts as an insulator and facilitates mobility between nerves. This interfascicular fat also serves as a cushion by preventing damage to the nerve fibers during compression. There is also strong evidence to suggest that intrafascicular fat plays a role in regeneration of nerves (Walocko et al., 2016).
List of Clinical Correlates
—Lipomatosis of nerve
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
Walocko, F. M., Khouri, R. K., Urbanchek, M. G., Levi, B. and Cederna, P. S. (2016) 'The potential roles for adipose tissue in peripheral nerve regeneration', Microsurgery, 36(1), pp. 81-8.
