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Adipose tissue is among the most dynamic tissues in the body, capable of expanding and contracting in size dramatically throughout the lifetime of an individual. The excessive accumulation of white adipose tissue is the defining characteristic of obesity, a disease that continues to rise in prevalence worldwide. Obesity is a major public health concern in part because it increases one's risk of developing other dangerous pathologies including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer. Importantly, the accumulation of adipose tissue in the abdominal cavity (termed central or visceral obesity) is most highly associated with the incidence of these pathologies. The growth of adipose tissue occurs through an increase in both the size and number of mature lipid-filled adipocytes, and these new adipocytes form through the differentiation of adipocyte precursors (APs), a stem cell population found in …