Blood vessels supplying adipose tissue in females and males differed in their biological characteristics and gene expression programs, researchers at York University in Toronto, Canada, have demonstrated. The findings, which will appear in the Jan. 20, 2023, print issue of Iscience after earlier publication online, give new insights into sex differences in metabolic health.

Fat tissue can be detrimental to health, but the relationship between fat, BMI and health is increasingly acknowledged as being highly complex. One factor that affects the relationship between fat and health is how well adipose tissue is vascularized. Any new tissue that forms in the body needs to be vascularized to ensure its blood supply, and fat is no exception.