Steatosis

For muscular steatosis (fatty atrophy of muscle) that gives a seemingly hypertrophic appearance, see pseudohypertrophy
Steatosis
Other namesFatty change, fatty degeneration, fatty atrophy, adipose degeneration, fatty infiltration, fatty replacement
Micrograph demonstrating marked (macrovesicular) steatosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Masson's trichrome stain.
SpecialtyGastroenterology
ComplicationsFatty liver disease

Steatosis, also called fatty change, is abnormal retention of fat (lipids) within a cell or organ.[1] Steatosis most often affects the liver – the primary organ of lipid metabolism – where the condition is commonly referred to as fatty liver disease. Steatosis can also occur in other organs, including the kidneys, heart, and muscle.[2] When the term is not further specified (as, for example, in 'cardiac steatosis'), it is assumed to refer to the liver.[3]

Risk factors associated with steatosis are varied, and may include diabetes mellitus, protein malnutrition, hypertension,[4] cell toxins, obesity,[5] anoxia,[2] and sleep apnea.[6]

Steatosis reflects an impairment of the normal processes of synthesis and elimination of triglyceride fat. Excess lipid accumulates in vesicles that displace the cytoplasm. When the vesicles are large enough to distort the nucleus, the condition is known as macrovesicular steatosis; otherwise, the condition is known as microvesicular steatosis. While not particularly detrimental to the cell in mild cases, large accumulations can disrupt cell constituents, and in severe cases the cell may even burst.

  1. ^ "steatosis". Farlex Dictionary. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  2. ^ a b Cotran; Kumar, Collins (1998). Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. Philadelphia: W.B Saunders Company. ISBN 0-7216-7335-X.
  3. ^ "steatosis". Oxford dictionaries. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019. Retrieved 2019-01-03.
  4. ^ Brookes MJ, Cooper BT (April 2007). "Hypertension and fatty liver: guilty by association?". J Hum Hypertens. 21 (4): 264–70. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1002148. PMID 17273155.
  5. ^ Saadeh S (February 2007). "Nonalcoholic Fatty liver disease and obesity". Nutr Clin Pract. 22 (1): 1–10. doi:10.1177/011542650702200101. PMID 17242448. S2CID 9057820.
  6. ^ Ahmed MH, Byrne CD (September 2010). "Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and fatty liver: association or causal link?". World J. Gastroenterol. 16 (34): 4243–52. doi:10.3748/wjg.v16.i34.4243. PMC 2937104. PMID 20818807.